Days to Paradise
by FuriousSeven
Summary: Lann/Lethita's progression through Vindictus. Driven by hatred. Fueled by anger. From beginning to finish. - I realized the progression is super slow. Either the chapters will become longer or story will be sped up. Not sure yet.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 - The Last of Us (by Approaching Nirvana) *listen while reading, makes it like 10x better*

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><p>"..."<p>

I open my eyes ...and I find myself conscious again, alone, standing on top of a field of countless corpses. I look upon the setting sun. The day is ending.

Gone. Everyone is gone. They took away everything.

*Pant* *Pant*

Out of breath and overwhelmed by fatigue, I drop to my knees. My hands tremble as they drop my swords, eternally fragments of attachment to my home.

"I will avenge you all... I swear to Morrigan. I. will. end. all. Fomors...! Even if I am the last one...!"

Teeth clenched, I struggle to pick up my swords, tainted red by countless Fomors I've slain. They are my last memories of home to remind me that I am a prideful warrior whose identity lies in the midst of battle... And so, I trudge towards...my village. Drained of energy, I struggle to move my unresponsive limbs. My broken leather armor soaked of blood and sweat also make it difficult to walk properly. I slowly and awkwardly slide my feet forward towards my hometown, now broken down in ruins. Ashes drift in the air as the dark night begins its dominion. Tears fall as I hold my treasured swords in a tight grasp.

The village that I have known until now is forever gone. Until the end, my brothers have fought to their death. Toned as vicious warriors in battle and glory in death on the battlefield. That is the way we were raised... And that is the way I will still be living.

Fomors, a mixed race of foul creatures, are mankind's sworn enemy. Morrigan, our goddess, prophesied that when the last blood of the Fomors has been spilled, she will descend and lead us to paradise, an eternal utopia, Erinn...and maybe I'll be seeing them again once I reach the promised land, either that or I will be following in their final footsteps, my demise...

Sorrow shows weakness. As much as I am swallowed by sadness, my comrades would not approve of my behavior. And yet... sorrow envelops my desire for revenge... What could I have done to save them...? Why am I...powerless?

I was in much need of rest. Too tired to think properly, I fall. With my back against a wall, I drift into deep sleep.

And I dreamed, of my hometown in its prosperity.

Born and raised in a family of 3, my mother, father, and my older brother. My brother and I spent most of our days training, practicing with swords, while our father taught us invaluable skills of swordsmanship. My village was not very big and not very saturated, so the bonding between the people were as close as family. We were constantly looking out for each other. And before I knew it, everyone just seemed like brothers and sisters to me.

Before long, we grew up to be courageous and prideful men. My brother, my ultimate role model, has taught me everything I know. From how to dress myself to utilizing agile movements in sword fighting. He was more of a father to me than my actual father...and I love him very much. We've lead a peaceful life... Until the fateful day when the Fomors attacked.

Hordes and hordes of goblins came, catching us completely off guard... All the men rose to battle and had the women and children hiding in the town center... But we were quickly surrounded. They set fire to houses to smoke out citizens in hiding and mercilessly cut them all down. From that moment on, everything went up in flames. And with only so few of us, it was clear that we weren't going to survive...and yet... Everyone fought to their last breath. I was one of the lucky ones to not get cut down at first sight...no, I was one of non-threatening targets that did not pose much trouble...as I was still weak and inexperienced. My brothers on the other hand, fell one by one. All of a sudden, I was tackled to the side by my blood related brother.

"YOU DAMNED IDIOT! DON'T JUST BLANK OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF BATTLEFIELD!"

I lay on the ground, staring blankly at my brother as he slowly gets up. Unsteadily, he then falls.

"Ar-Are you okay?"

"Yeah, no thanks to you, you dunce! What were you thinking? Just standing around like that? You could've been sniped by- *COUGH* *COUGH*."

My brother groans in pain as he clutches his right side of his ribs. A badly carved spear was plainly sticking into his flesh. Streams of blood were flowing out onto the ever thirsty ground, soaking up and spreading out under the area of the injury. I kneel beside him, unsure of what to do next.

"You're hurt! Oh no... What do I do? What do I-"

My brother cuts me off as I panic in a state of frenzy.

"Shut up and listen to me, Lethita."

My brother calmly tells me.

"Take everyone remaining and leave... Don't ever come back..." *Cough* *Cough*

"B-but I've never been outside the village. I don't know what's out there. I can't just leave. And what about you? I can't leave you behind either."

"I'll be fine, don't worry about me. I won't let it end like this. You'll be fine Lethita. I believe you'll like it more in the outside world..."

Even near death, hope and dedication flow through my brother. The one I've admired throughout childhood, is dying in front of my eyes, all because he tried to protect me...

"Look, we can't afford to talk. This is a battlefi- argh..."

I cannot bear to look at my brother as he spews out more blood. His state is agonizing to watch...

"Lethita... Take my weapon... And leave with everyone. I won't live another night, and our friends will not either. We cannot gain as we lose more. This town is no longer our home. It is now overrun by these damned Fomors..."

I slowly reach out my hands to take his blade, even now I still listen and follow his commands... I swore to my self, that this will be the first and last time that I'll feel helplessness. My tears drop onto the finely crafted blade of my brother. Glimmering in the midst of battle, as if the sword is telling me to avenge its master.

Suddenly, 6 flying spears out of nowhere pierces into the flesh of my brother. The impact caused his blood to scatter in the scorched wind.

"Urgh... Kaaa... ... ..."

I stare in shock as the life of my brother ends right before me. Out of the corner of my eye, I see a group of detestable goblins chuckling disgustingly to themselves as if the death of my brother was just a game.

"ARRRRRRGGGHHHHHAAAA!"

Enraged, I dive into the mob with my sword and my brother's. Alarmed, the foul creatures attempts to defend themselves, but it was too late. My left arm wielding my brother's sword has already cut through the shoulder of one and my right soon to stab through the face of another.

Startled, the goblins growl and begins their counterattack. But by the time they react, I have already slain 5 of them. Spears readied, they lunge at me. Two swords pointed towards the ground, blood dripping off the blades, I dash towards their right flank. A thrown spear nearly grazed me as I lower my head just an inch.

Neglecting defense, I swing my dual wields in a circular motion right through the ribs of two Fomors, eliminating them immediately. I then jump back and begin again on their left flank. Pitifully disarrayed, they struggle to charge at me. But their coordination and team work weren't exactly top notch. Three of them jump at me simultaneously, their spears aiming at my chest. Rather calm, I step forward to cut down the first one I see. 3 spears aiming at my chest come down accurately gather at one position, so then of course I use my left sword to deflect them to my left side. My right sword slashes through the head of one and my left sword swings horizontally in a circular motion to smoothly cut off the heads of the other two.

The remaining few cowardly run away to regroup with their other rampaging brethren. As do I.

Silently, I join up with the remnants in the village. Most of them are worn out and injured. Upon seeing my arrival, their morale boosted a bit.

"Is...this all that's left of us...?"

"Lethita... None of the women and children were spared. They were either burned or stabbed to death. There is no mercy from these shit faces..."

I am not sure what to do. I can only rationalize that the Fomors have stopped attacking to briefly reorganize and plan a big offense to wipe us all out.

"We...need to leave. There is nothing left for us here..."

"Fuck that, I ain't leavin' til I'm satisfied stabbing these fucks to death!"

"Yeah, I'm not just gon' leave an' let this go. You think we're easy to push around?"

"Live by the sword. Die by the sword. Is that not what we were taught?"

I did not want to leave either. How will I swallow this down? But we all know there isn't any to gain. 'We cannot gain as we lose more.' My brother's words ring in my head. Yet...our thirst for revenge grows only deeper as we wait. There isn't many left of us. And the others aren't willing to just leave. Am I...am I just to leave by myself?

"Lethita, I understand that we should abandon this town, but all of us here have nothing else to lose other than our lives. We can only live to fight another day. What else are there to live for? I can already bet that your brother told you to do this. He is the most sensible of us after all. But, I'm sorry to say, we're not complying."

I remain silent. This internal conflict is splitting me apart. Should I follow my brother's words...or fight until the end?

Teeth clenched. I grip my twin swords tight. This will be the decision of my life. Fight or flight. The human's vital response. The very autonomic element that have gotten us all to where we are today. And now it's letting me decide my fate.

I close my eyes. I hear flames cackling in the background. Heavy pants from my comrades. The smell of burning ashes. The smell of blood and gore. Swearing from the wounded. Swords angrily stabbing the earth. In the distant, I hear movement, large movement.

I open my eyes again to see the horror surrounding us. There IS nothing left to salvage. And the Fomors will be here very soon.

"Well, Lethita? Here's your last chance. They are coming."

He reminds me as he readies his sword along with the rest, composed of the hardened, the veterans, the injured, and the vengeful. This is it. The last battle. The inevitable has finally come to claim my fate. Will I flee...?

No. The death of my brother flashes between my eyes in the midst of the burning town. I cannot forgive them. If Morrigan cannot deliver judgment, then I shall do so myself.

"Let's go."

"Atta boy! I knew you wouldn't disappoint."

"Alright men, let's show them our last stand!"

The mobile forces of the Fomors have finally arrived. The showdown will begin soon. With a thunderous shout, we dash towards the large squadron. In response, they do so as well. Only one victor will rise in this turmoil. And a larger chance is siding with the Fomors. Haha, everyone here already knew that... Yet they are still willing to dedicate their final breathes to exact revenge.

Time passes...

One by one, the fighters exhaust and fall into eternal slumber. The numbers of the Fomors still seem endless. And before I knew it, I am the sole survivor, fighting with my very last breathes to end it all...

Anger surges through me and I gradually lose control of myself. I have lost everything... Everything that I ever had... I cannot... I will not... let any of them live...

All. Fomors. Must. Die.  
>ALL. FOMORS. MUST. DIE.<p>

As I fall deeper and deeper into my desire for revenge, I lose more and more of my conscious. My twin swords dance wildly on the battlefield, slashing and hacking away at these insignificant peons. I don't know how much longer I will last, nor do I care. The more I kill, the more it sates my bloodthirst. My consciousness is drifting away...slowly...slowly...and slowly...away...into the darkness... This feeling...is exhilarating... Ahahahahahahahaha... I cackle maniacally in the midst of the chaos.

"I WILL KILL YOU ALL!"

Now alone in this world, I have only myself and these swords to keep me company. Nevertheless, I will never. Ever. Show them mercy. As the sole survivor, I am, the last of my kin. I am, the last of us.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 - To the Skies II (by TwoThirds) *11 times better*

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><p>They say traumatic experiences can fully change a man. Well. They're right. I am different now.<p>

17 years.  
>17 years worth of memories.<br>17 years worth of connections.  
>17 years worth of family.<br>Gone.  
>All gone.<br>I've lost... Everything.

Here I stand before a field of freshly dug graveyard in the middle of a ruined village. I pray for each one of my friends and family as I lay them into their final resting place. In front of each tombstone stands a sword, their sword.

To live by the sword.  
>To die by the sword.<p>

Every accomplishment, every satisfaction, every sliver of happiness. All destroyed in one night. All destroyed in a couple of hours.

I now realize what kind of a cruel world that we all live in. The numbered dominates the less fortunate. The ratio of Fomors to humans is just too much for us to fight a winning war. Cutting one of them down will simply result in 10 more arriving as reinforcement. Just what kind of impossible task did the goddess bestow upon us?

The Fomors will take them all. Your family. Your friends. Your life. And your future. It does not matter if the goddess ordered the extermination. We humans will still be in war with the Fomors. Because if we don't, we will be the ones to become extinct.

So what have I lived for? How can everything just be gone so suddenly before I can realize what has happened. How can my 17 years worth be taken away by some foreign race that just happen to waltz in and wreck chaos? We've never done harm. We may have taken pride in standing victorious in battle, but those were done only in response to relentless assaults on our kin across the land.

So why? WHY? Why must we be punished for defending our lives?

...Why didn't I die along with everyone else...?

Grasping the worn-out blade on my hip, I aimed it along my throat. Now I just need the determination to end it all. The coldness of the blade invites me to my death. To end all my suffering. Tears swell at the thought of losing everything.

I no longer have the will to live. I still desire revenge for my loss. But I realized just how absurd I sounded. Heh. Kill all Fomors? Yeah right. Just how many do I think I can kill before getting completely crushed by them.

I blink a few times towards the sky before my self-execution. Gazing at the endlessness has always calmed me. It shows just how small each one of us really is, how insignificant we are in this world. What can I really do if I moved on with my life? My life goal is now to exterminate every single Fomor. The idea of THAT is simply ridiculous.

So as it stands, I have no reason to live. And it all comes down to my final decision, to twist the blade.

'What do you think you're doing?'

I open my eyes in surprise but there's no one around. A scene of only battlefield and a ruined village filled with a mountain of corpses lies around. All sense of life has perished.

I bring my sword down from my throat.

"Who's there? Show yourself."

A chilling wind knocks me back to my senses as I realize that I was merely talking to myself. So then where did the voice come from?

As if to answer my question, the voice speaks to me once again.

'After the trouble I've gone through to save your life, you're going to throw it away just like that? You ungrateful fool.'

This time the voice was did not catch me off guard. It was clear, and unnatural. It did not sound human. Furthermore, I didn't hear it with my ears, but rather my mind.

'Are you confused?'

Reluctantly, I answer the question.

"Yes."

It sighs with regret in its voice.

I am very confused by the sudden turn of events. Where did the voice even come from?

"What do you mean ungrateful?"

My question was quickly shot back with a scoff.

'Look here, you...'

Like I have anywhere to look...

'I will dumb this down for you to understand. I, am what you all call Power, except in a spiritual form. You see all types of people wishing for more "power." Well, here I am, Power.'

"So you're some type of entity?"

'Not exactly. Entities will have some kind of predetermined shape or form. Powers like me have neither shape nor form. We are not even visible. We merely manifest ourselves in our host. In this case, the host is you. And talking to you like this is already at most of what I can do to communicate.''

"What do you mean by manifesting in hosts?"

'Since we do not have proper forms or shapes, nor are we visible and audible, it's impossible for anyone to know our existence. The only way we can reveal our presence is to bind ourselves in a host, human or monster. By binding, I mean to share our powers with the host, although the drawback is that we are unable to limit the amount that you can use. In any case, the hosts tend to keep this secret to themselves. However, for us to bind to hosts is very rare. You will probably never meet another host in your life time.'

Hmmm.

'I see that you are wondering why we would simply share ourselves without any benefits.'

With another sigh, the voice continues on.

'Because we are bored. Though we are essentially immortal, and time doesn't constrain us, we scourge the land in hopes of finding interesting things such as spectating wars between races, human excavation, Fomor territorial trifles, discovering lost relics, etc, etc.

The most interesting ones are always you humans. Being quite different from all the other races, your intellect has brought forth evolution. We've also observed many different emotions surge throughout the boundless time, from love and joy to hatred and sorrow, which the other races do not tend to show.

Some even decided to participate by merging with hosts to relieve their boredom...but unfortunately, when the host dies with a Power attached, the Power is lost as well. Binding is irreversible, meaning that once we have chosen a host, we cannot leave by normal means. Some of us did not know that in the beginning...they discovered it the hard way... There are exceptions however, but you don't need to worry about that for now.'

"Hold on, you're telling me that this is all real? I'm not hallucinating? Stop bullshitting me."

'... Let me ask you something boy. How do you think you were able to slaughter the entire army of invaders and get out unscathed?'

"... I'm guessing it has something to do with you?"

'You're damn right it has something to do with me! There I was, just roaming the land, minding my own business, when I saw a dumb young boy fending off hordes of ugly fucks and I decided to help you out of your predicament by manifesting myself inside you to save your sorry ass. And what do I get? Not even a single fucking thank you! And now you here doubt me for spewing a bunch of nonsense to you.

'What? Did you think you fought those goblins off all by yourself? An average human would've died long ago. Thanks to me, I've kept you going until they all died. Every. Single. One. Just like you wanted.'

"Why me?"

The silence soon followed by laughter.

'Ahahaha! Why, you ask? Because I find you interesting! It's true that I picked you over dozens of the other fighters but no one can match the psychotic inside you.'

"Psychotic? You're calling me psychotic? I can assure you that I am a perfectly sane person."

'Whatever you believe.'

'One thing I should let you know is that there is a drawback with using my power.'

"Go on."

I prompted.

'My Power leaves you with extreme combat fatigue and unconsciousness...'

"...And?"

'H-huh?'

"Is that it?"

'It's a double edged sword. If you enter combat again after that, your body won't respond to you!"

"Yes, but it won't be a problem if I make sure that I won't fight afterwards."

'How will you do that?'

"By making sure that I will not be fighting afterwards. Kill 'em all before they kill me."

The voice sighs, like a sigh that hasn't been made for millenniums.

'That's certainly a optimistic way to look at it.

"Ok."

'Well then. Now that everything has been done. Pleased to meet your acquaintance.'

"And mine yours."

A brief silence passes by before I realized that I forgot to ask the most important question.

"...So what are you called and what is your power?"

With a meaningful pause, it replies with a dominating voice.

'I am Berserker. And I will grant you limitless stamina to slaughter all that stands in your way. Whenever you demand it. Use me however you wish, just don't make me regret my decision.'

I gaze upon the open sky. Clouds scurry away as if to avoid my eyes. I smile bitterly at the beginning of another story.

'So what are you going to do now?'

I look towards the cloudy skies. It is a dark and stormy night. I sigh in defeat.

"I don't know... Find a new place to live. Kill Fomors. Move on. Repeat... Now that the option of killing myself is gone."

'…Well technically, I can't really stop you from doing that. Though I am inside you, you are still in full control of yourself.'

After thinking a long time, I reply back.

"No... I can't do that anymore. I can actually make a difference now. I am going to abuse you until I die."

I grip my swords, dried red from the battle. Memories flood in as I reminisce my previous life. It's time to move on.

"What to do, huh?"

There is nothing left for me to stay in this village. I guess I'll need to gather up my belongings and find a new place to leave. But everything is either burnt to ashes or destroyed in combat.

The only precious things I have now are these swords, memories of my past, and memories of my brother.

Where would I even go? I have been inside the village all my life. I have no knowledge of what is outside. I have no experience with traveling either.

I gotta start somewhere. I begin gathering up all the weapons that are left behind by the Fomors. Their rotting flesh has already started gathering flies. The smell is absolutely atrocious.

"First things first, we can't stay here. Where do you suggest we go?"

'I don't think this is the best time to say it, but your village is rather secluded. As I surveyed the land before linking with you, the fastest you'll ever get to the next village is about 3 days. I don't believe you have enough food to even last 1 day. Not to mention you'll need to climb over the mountains surrounding your village. In other words, you're totally screwed.'

"Thanks, that really made me feel a lot better about my situation."

'Oh geez, I made a big mistake tagging along...'

"Shut up, I'm not going to die, not here, not now."

'And what are you to do genius? Eat some wooden spears for breakfast?'

"Oh. Ha. Ha. Funny. Can you just shut up from now on? You're not exactly helping."

'Oh, what else is there to do? Wait around while you slowly die from starvation?'

"If I die, you die too."

'I ALREADY KNOW THAT. WE ARE DOOMED, DOOMED I TELL YOU!'

Berserker continued its rant on the hopelessness of our situation. I of course ignored all of it. At the moment, it simply served as needless words that only worsen my motivation. The voice is right however. I have no means to survive in this condition. No food and no supplies, I'm currently trapped in my ruined village.

No matter how hard I think, I can't possibly find a solution. There is absolutely nothing left for me other than what I have geared. If there isn't anything left, why am I still here? If a solution isn't available in the village, maybe I should look elsewhere? With a goal set, I resolve my focus.

First, pick up all the crude spears.  
>Second, leave the village.<br>Third, something like a miracle happens.

Sounds like a solid plan. I grin at myself in self pity. Yeah I'm totally screwed.

'Hey, hey! Have you been listening to me?'

"Yeah yeah. We're screwed. I heard you the first time."

'No, no. I see smoke up in the woods over there.'

"You what? Where's 'there?' You're not exactly pointing at anything with your non-existent finger."

I survey the surroundings all around me, from the horizons to peak of the tall mountains.

"And I don't exactly see anything either."

'Look in between the base of the mountain and the edge of the forest of elder wood. There is a small dark blur rising to the sky and hiding behind the leaves.'

"You can see that far?!"

'You can't see that far?!'

"No..."

'Oh, well. I can see that far. Let's go check that out. Now. Stop wasting time around here. I don't know why you're sitting here doing nothing. Just waiting for your death?'

"I'm not the one who kept going on and on about how screwed we were. I'll get moving soon. Just let me gather up some spears first, in case anything happens. Having both a melee and ranged method is always better. No matter what happens."

I check my inventory once more before leaving. I have my and my brother's sword, tattered, cut, and broken leather armor that still offer a bit of defense, and a bundle of 14 throwing spears bundled up in a quiver that I conveniently found. Taking another look at my destroyed village, my destroyed home, my past, I set out on my new journey.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 - Memoirs (cinematic by Rameses B) *12 times better*

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><p>Traces of destruction and ruin appear everywhere outside the village. It seems that the Fomors did not target us specifically. For what reason have they come? For what reason have they killed? Thinking about their actions only angers me more. I should stop dwelling on what has passed and more on what is to come.<p>

"Hey wait a minute... Didn't you say that the next village is 3 days away? Why is there one so close by then?"

'Oh. I was only playing. Haha! Your village isn't that secluded.'

"... I can't believe you."

'Haha! I got you!'

"..."

'Oh c'mon, you're not bitter, are you?'

"..."

'Okay okay! I'm sorry! Please don't give me the silent treatment. I've been alone for so long. I only wanted someone to talk to.'

"..."

'Lethita! C'mon. I won't do it again. I swear.'

"Haaa... I can't believe something like you is giving me power..."

'Haha! You better believe it!'

"..."

How long has it been since I left? It feels like I've been walking forever.

"Am I the only one who can hear you?"

'Good question. Yes. You are. If anyone sees you, it would look like you're talking to yourself.'

"...Great..."

* * *

><p>After a long and tedious walk on an empty stomach, we've finally reached our destination.<p>

'Well, this scene seems familiar.'

"Don't you fucking remind me."

Hunger is hardly anything to worry about. What lies in front of us is the remnants of another burned village. Countless bodies, pile upon pile. It seems that the Fomors sacked this unfortunate village as well. However, the attack has not seemed to have ended. Sounds of metals clanging rung off towards the centre. The villagers are still fighting, though the village is completely wrecked.

"Berserker, you're going to prove to me that having you manifest in my soul is not a bad idea."

'Oho? Going into battle again? Very well. Allow me to demonstrate the power tha-'

"Are you done?"

Not wasting any time, I cut it off before it starts to talk some more. I then dash toward the heart of battle with my swords in hand.

'Hey! I wasn't finished!'  
>"You are now."<br>'Aw c'mon, you should've at least let me finish my sentence.'  
>"Nope. Stop talking, you're going to bite the way your tongue."<br>'Shouldn't you be the one biting your tong- Ahhhh! My tongue!'

'Wait that doesn't even make sense! I don't even have a tongue, not even a body!'  
>"JUST SHUT UP!"<p>

I howl at at Berserker. Which was a bad idea because the ones heard me were a bunch of goblins sealing off the entrance to the battlefield. They turned around in shock since I had snuck up behind them and taken them by surprise. There are at least 30 of them crowding in a small alleyway surrounded by burnt walls. Once they got over the situation, the Fomors point their fingers at me as if I'm some cockroach that they missed. Then they started charging at me with spears in hand.

In hindsight, it was a good idea that seemed like a bad idea. With the limited space between walls, only a maximum of 3 Fomors could fight me at once, not to mention the others squishing behind the front waiting for their turn.

I unravel my swords to grip them tightly. Nothing can hold me back now. The first three lunge with ridiculous speed. Taken a bit back, I lower my centre to have an easier time standing my ground. I then fan both my swords forward to ward off their spear thrusts. After knocking their spears elsewhere, I swing the swords back to slice them across their chests. Blood gushes upon contact. It seems that my blades haven't dulled yet. I drop the first three like flies. Their comrades howl in anger upon seeing the deaths of their disgusting friends. Enraged, each of one begins charging at me.

I don't have any time to stand around either. I rush them in response. Within minutes, I have completely exterminated these pests. However, even the deaths of these cockroaches could not quench my thirst for Fomor blood.

The sounds of fighting have brought more Fomor troops to my location. I grin at their stupidity. If a mere group of 30 couldn't take me down, why would they think sending more will help? Ahhhh. Who cares? More pigs to slaughter. Ahaha!

"BLOOD! MORE BLOOD!"

* * *

><p>...<p>

How long has it been since I lost myself? This feels just like back at the village... By then I realize, I'm surrounded by death. Again. My blades have gotten red. Again. Countless corpses lie below, again. What happened?

I survey the land. It seems that ever since I entered the burnt village, I have only contributed to the casualty count. Not that I'm complaining. Adding numbers to Fomor casualties is something I'd die for. I have no regrets.

The sounds of metals clashing no longer linger in the air. It seems that the fight has ended. But which side won? There's only one way to find out.

I walk towards the centre of the village, where the answer lies. To my surprise, the remaining Fomor troops have formed a circle around the tied up villagers in the large open field that is the centre. There are dozens of elite armored goblin troops scattered within the circle. In total, there are maybe 600 of them. It's a good thing that the guards haven't noticed me yet since most of their attention is onto the ones in the middle. I'm literally 5 feet away from the circle. Standing before the captured humans is a large ugly ass goblin commander with a leader-like aura. Fucking. Disgusting.

He treats the prisoners like toys. Within seconds, he has snapped off the arms of 2 men. Is this their form of execution? Torture them slowly while striking fear in the others?

"Noooooo! Father!"

A young girl cries out inside the middle. It seems that children were captured as well, not just men. No... Women, children, elderly, they've got all ages in there. I guess they don't discriminate our age nor gender.

If this goes on, every single one of them will die today. But what can I do?

The girl's cry quickly reached the ears of the commander. The eye contact between the two confirmed his next target. There's no need in thinking about it.

I slowly walk toward the Fomor guards. Lifting my sword high up in the air, I swing it down to cleanly slice off four heads. The sudden attack turned the heads of many. I grab one of the headless bodies and toss it at their commander. He eyes me down full of hatred. The elite armored guards, now fully alert, also start moving in my direction. With a hand wave, the commander signals them to stand down. It seems like he wants a duel. He thinks he can publicly execute a troublemaker. The nearby guards back away and seal off my escape, not that I planned to run anyways.

Up close, the commander is half a body taller than me. His heavy armor offers the best protection. And his goblin scimitar screams for blood.

"Watch out!"

The commander suddenly leaped at me and tried to end me immediately with an overhead slash. I quickly dodge roll away to the side. Had I not been paying attention, I would've died right there. He's fast... I thought his armor would slow him considering how heavy it looks. I guess that's not the case. It looks like this fight won't be easy. I loosen my sheaths and my bag full of throwing spears. At this point, I need all the speed I can get. Needles weight can only slow me.

The commander lunges at me again, this time with a horizontal slash. I dig my swords into the grounds to block it. But the impact knocked me back a couple of feet. That was such a heavy blow. I can't take him head on. My hands are still visibly shaking from that collision.

The commander sneers at my weak self. He then taunts me with a hand gesture, telling me to come at him. Now I'm really pissed off. Today will definitely be his last day existing.

I charge at him with both swords in hand. I want to avoid direct confrontation as much as possible. Speed is key in this battle. Midway through the charge, I feel a bit different... I surprise the commander and myself immediately with a head butt. The impact knocked us both to the ground. What the fuck was that? I traveled that distance in split seconds. I get up right away to plant a blade inside that fucker's skull. The commander wanted to do the same. Our weapons clash, causing sparks to scatter in the wind.

"Tch!"

I break away from the struggle. He's a tough bastard. What happened just now? I covered the distance in a flash.

"Berserker. Was that you?"

I feel a gap in my memories.

'You wanted power. I'll grant you power. In exchange for your consciousness."

Endless energy flows throughout my body. I feel as light as feather, as if all my physical abilities have been enhanced temporarily.

"Haha! Ahahaha! Wonderful."

My laughter echo across the battlefield. Every Fomor is as confused as their commander. They must think I'm crazy. Berserker empowers my body. If my conscious is all it takes for me to gain power. I would trade it every single time. I have never felt so light. Heh. Let's see what I can do.

I dash to the commander. By the time he reacts, I've already reached the ground he stood on. Using momentum from my sprint, I pummel him down with my entire weight. I slam the handle of my swords into his chest, knocking him down to the ground. Following up with the pummel, I leap forward to drive my blades into him, breaking through his heavy armor like paper.

"GRAAWWWHH!"

The Fomor commander screams in agony while writhing on the ground. His precious blood gushes out like a fountain. With their commander dead, the remaining Fomors seek to avenge their leader. I throw the goblin scimitar at the captured, hoping they could cut the ropes and escape safely. Then I run. None of the Fomors paid the other humans any heed since they've started chasing after me, all 600 of them. My aim is to lead them away from here.

* * *

><p>Dashing through the thick forest, with the goblin troops in hot pursuit, this feeling has never been so thrilling. All of them, all of them, will die by my hands today! Ahaha!<p>

In the midst of chase, I have lead them to a forest clearing. Believing that this is a good place for showdown, I turn around to face the goblin horde. The moisture in the air reimburses my gasping lungs full of air.

I exhale. I 'will' have my revenge. There are still about 600 of them. The clearing here gives me large enough area to maneuver through the Fomors. Fighting inside the forest is a definite no. The trees and leaves can only obstruct my movements, considering how many of them there are hunting me down. The only way to deal with them all is to fight in an open field. And if the fight gets messy, I can escape by the trees. This will not be the place I fall.

I charge forward swinging both swords horizontally to the left to parry their thrusts. I swing them reversely to fend off the second wave of spears. Following up on the opening I've made, I slide forward with a quick sweeping slash, clearing any goblins on the side, leaving the majority standing against me face to face. I kick the first one backwards into the horde. The force of impact knocked the frontline down immediately. Executing downed enemies is a waste of time, so I jump over them instead into the second wave of the horde. Their surprised faces tell me they never expected that it would be their turn so soon. I plant each blade right into those fuckers' heads. Like a tornado, I twist my whole body to clean up the surrounding Fomors.

* * *

><p>My breathing is gradually getting heavier. I struggle to gather air into my lungs. Side effects of using Berserker began to appear; extreme fatigue. My vision is getting hazy. I don't think I can keep fighting. There's a part of me that just wants to surrender and lay in eternal rest. But I can't do that. I can never do that.<p>

After breaking away from the dog fight, I manage to take a breather. The Fomors aren't nearly kind enough to allow me to rest however. In their giant pack, they chase after me. At this point I can barely hold my weapons. It's time for me to retreat.

...

I quickly search the nearby brushes and decide on the thickest one to make my escape. Without any hesitation, the goblins follow me into the forest once again. For me to engage them is out of y options. I just know that I will be a pile of meat in a couple of seconds. Thankfully, the trees and branches hinders them down considerably. I'm able to widen the distance between me and them.

That is not to say, the trees and branches are helping me either. They've just about hit my face 12 times, stumped my feet 19 times, and scratched me about 20 times.

The chase goes on for a while. I have since lost the pack that had been behind me all this time. Eventually I found a way out. I dash through the trees to finally leave the premise. I then immediately come to a stop. What lies before me is a cliff, and a waterfall. There are no paths other than to go back into the forest. Shit. Shit. Shit. I quickly turn around to return from where I came. That's another impossible option. As soon as I turned, those that have caught up has already lunged at the lone figure standing on top of a cliff, me.

Is this where I die? What other options do I have? Damn. I haven't nearly killed enough to avenge everyone. The scene in my village flashes before my eyes. I hope they're satisfied with this. I can only blame my powerlessness.

"Fuck! Berserker, give me more power!"

'...'

"What are you doing?!"

'... Don't blame me for the consequences.'

"Just fucking do it!"

With that said, I black out one more time. The last thing I could remember was...falling off the cliff with countless Fomors. And I thought to myself, at least I didn't die alone.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 - The Beginning (_Actual Prologue of the game_)

* * *

><p>"Lethita?"<p>

"Yes sir."

Marrec walks towards Captain Aodhan as he gives him the name of the latest recruit.

Aodhan: "That's a weird name..."

Marrec: "Aye captain, a silent one at that too."

Aodhan: "Hmm, the other day I saw him around town; he seems quite young...as long as he's up for it I guess... Where did you say he hailed from?"

Marrec: "The boy said he came from the northwest. He was a wreck when we found him limping on the side of the road. He had his clothes torn and leather paddings worn out. He was sitting beside one of the trees breathing heavily while clutching his two swords. His head poured out buckets of blood. Poor fellow hadn't eaten in days. It looked like he's been through hell..."

Aodhan ponders while sitting in his seat in the mercenary outpost. Marrec stood in front of the table as he wonders what the captain is thinking about now.

"Wait a minute... Northwest you say? Didn't one of the recent Royal Army reports mention a discovery of a village in the northwest ransacked by Fomors a couple of days ago?"

Marrec: "Yes, but no survivors were found. The best guess was that the town had been wiped clean. The strangest part was that the town folks were all buried nicely."

Aohdan: "This may sound ridiculous, Marrec, but you don't suppose the boy's fro-"

"EMERGENCY!"

A mercenary scout runs into the outpost panting heavily.

Merc Scout: "Ca-captain..! Pant... Pant..."

Out of breath, the scout finds it hard to deliver his message.

Aodhan: "What is it?"

Unalarmed, Aodhan asks in a calm voice after losing his train of thought, although that is hardly of importance as of now.

"Wen-Wendshardt is in frenzy and is attacking the town! The guards tried to calm her down but they were bashed and slammed down!"

Marrec: "What...?!"

Marrec gasps as the shock sinks in. He looks at the scout and back to Aodhan for commands.

Aodhan gets up from his seat and organizes a series of commands.

"Marrec, gather the wounded and have the townsfolk care for them, march all readily-available mercs and man the ballistae to Wenshardt. Slowly corner her to the outside of town. I want every one of the citizens evacuated away."

Marrec: "Yes Cap'n!"

* * *

><p>I was just sitting down on a stool in the town inn leaning on a table when one of the squadron leaders in full equipment came rushing through the door.<p>

"Blades! Get ready to move!"

All of a sudden, every mercenary who is visible in the inn got up and packed their equipment to move out. Marrec looked my way and my gaze meets his.

"That includes you too rookie! You're one of us now. You can get a new set of the premium uniform set from Ernmass. He's probably setting up your room upstairs in the very end. Get changed and meet along with the other mercs. And make it fast!"

I nod, got up and quickly walked up the stairs towards my room, the farthest one down the hall. It has only been a bit after a week since the destruction of my village. Strangely enough, i can't remember anything past that. I was lucky enough to meet a patrol squad of the Crimson Blade Mercenaries who took me in during my time of need. Broke and homeless, I can only earn my living through selling my abilities as a mercenary.

I walk into the room to see old man Ernmass working hard to set up blankets on my soon-to-be bed. His white hair and skinny body can only suggest he's had a simple and earnest life.

"Hmm...?"

He turns his head my way with a fatherly smile as he finishes making the bed just when I walk in. His spectacles seemingly take away the wrinkles from his tired, aged face.

"Ah, you must be the new guy. I'd love to chat but I heard noises downstairs and I don't want to delay the urgency. You probably came to get your mercenary uniform huh? It's laid out on the chair. I'll just leave you to your business now."

As he leaves through the door, he looks my way once again with a smile.

"Oh, before I forget, welcome to Colhen and do watch yourself out there..."

Ernmass exits the room and his footsteps slowly sound more distant as time passes. His last words pack a powerful interpretation to me. Ernmass may not have been through many hardships, but the amount he's seen has probably shaped him to who he is today... Possibly many of them were of new mercenaries showing up for a few days and then disappearing the next...

I get lost in thought as I change into my uniform set. It has a dull grayish color and it does not seem very protective. A somewhat thin layer of paddings, very light as well. My old leather paddings offered more than this. But I can't complain. Reaching out to help me was already more than what I should be thankful for. After putting on the set, I take a look at the final piece, the helmet. It's made of metal and is a bit heavy. It just covers the whole head and the area in front of the eyes is movable. I take the helmet and snap it on. It fits perfectly onto my head. The movable plate surprisingly does not block off too much vision given the protection it offers, although the holes in between the area are quite a hindrance to my movements. I reach for my swords strapped to my sides. The blades have dulled and not taken care of since the attack on my village. I grip them as I dash outside the inn, hoping that it would last me another fight, and I run towards the crowd gathering before an under-construction bell tower. Even thought the day is setting, the sun is nowhere in sight.

A shrouding shadow engulfs the sky slowly and slowly... Still incomplete, the hollow bell tower gives off an ominous aura around it. Out of nowhere, a giant spider emerges from the base of the bell tower and smashes into the bell tower wall. Never have I seen such an enormous Fomor, nonetheless defeating one as well. My blood boils upon seeing this sight. Mercs are pushing ballistae closer and closer to the bell tower with each step.

"C'MON BLADES, LET'S MOVE!"

"YES SIR!"

Mercs march onwards. Dressing the same as them, I blend in with the mobile squadron. This familiar scene...feels nostalgic...yet sorrowful... My hands begin trembling as I walk closer towards the tower. Visions of burning town and endless bodies dropped onto the ground flash before my eyes. I try to suppress my screams and fear as I walk on. This shouldn't be having much impact on me. My hands form fists to try directing attention away from the visions.

"Get yourself together, rookie!"

One of the squadron leaders, presumably the same one as before, slaps me on the shoulder and proceeds to the front of the crowd. That slap certainly brought me back to my senses. I have changed... No survivors. None. At. All. I stare blankly at the scene once again, now wondering how we will engage the spider.

The squad leader walks up to a man in his armor attire and a single feathered large helmet that marks his leadership above the rest.

"Hey, what the hell is going on?"

The man, presumably the captain of the mercenaries, looks back at him.

"We got him cornered."

Finally reaching the base of the tower, the captain distinctly shouts out procedures.

"Ready the ballistae!"

"Yes, sir!"

The mercenaries manning the ballistae aimed the tip towards the spider still rampaging through the bell tower, causing all the construction to go to waste. Wooden and sturdy, the ballistaes creak as the arch of the mouth was lowered.

"GWEEEEEEEEEE!"

The spider shrieks as it pummels through the bell tower. Broken construction pieces and debris fall as it crashes into them while climbing to the top.

"He's climbing the bell tower!"

The captain then holds his left hand up to signal the firing.

"Load ballistae!"

The squad leader looks at the captain.

"But Captain, the tower will collapse if we fire right now."

"Doesn't matter. Prepare to fire!"

Out of nowhere, a girl, blonde haired and dressed in priestess-like sleeveless white clothing, suddenly positions herself in front of a ballista. Arms wide open to completely block the ballista's line of fire. Her graceful figure does not integrate very well with the scene before me, but I am too focused on the enormous spider crawling to the top of the tower to care.

"Stop!"

Suddenly, the captain raises his right arm to signal stopping.

"Stop! Hold!"

Immediately following his command, the squad leader turns around and waves both arms in the air.

"Hold fire!"

A chain reaction that started off with one word and one movement, all mercenaries are alert by the abrupt order.

"Hold fire!"

"Hold fire!"

By the sudden turn of events, I turn my attention to the appearance of this girl with delicate pale white skin. She has beautiful golden locked hair that swayed back and forth upon her instant arrival. Her blue eyes compliment the image of an ideal human girl and her ideal human figure. Pure beauty.

The squad leader turns around once again to face the girl.

"Tieve, it's dangerous! Move out of the way!"

The captain also speaks up to the girl.

"Tieve, what are you doing?"

The girl, Tieve, looks at the captain with a worried look on her sweet and innocent face. Her hands are grasped together and seems like she's about to beg them for something.

Tieve: "Aodhan. Please give me some time. He's not usually this violent. I'll talk to him."

Who is she? Can a civilian just walk up and stop the whole group?

Aodhan: "People's lives are in danger. That's no longer the town's guardian. It's just a monster. Move aside!

Town's guardian? That thing?

Tieve: "But... Haa..."  
>The girl sighs.<p>

Aodhan: "Let us handle this. Reload ballistae!"

The captain orders the troops once again.

Mercenaries: "Reload!"

The girl runs in front of the ballistae once more. How reckless... I thought.

Marrec: "Oracle, we don't have much time!"

Oracle?

Tieve: "Marrec, don't you trust me? I must go up there! He's frightened. He's terrified. I can hear his voice..."

The captain sighs to give in to the oracle. Marrec looks at the captain for his sudden change in attitude.

Aodhan: "All right, but I go with you. Marrec, grab some men and follow."

Marrec: "Yes sir! Follow the captain!"

"Yes sir!"

I look around to see several mercenaries voluntarily started following the captain and the squad leader, while the rest stayed behind. Should I go too? I mean, I can stay behind and... No, I'm definitely going. I'm not about to let any chance to slay Fomors pass. As the last volunteer, I walk towards the bell tower. I feel my blood boiling as I anticipate what will next.

I see another mercenary walking ahead of me. He (she?) has quite a slender figure and walks with gentle sway on his hips. I can't really tell because everyone has a helmet over their head. Actually...everyone has the same gears too. The helmet, the armor, a sword and a small buckler. Other than me and the squad leader Marrec who dual wields swords, everyone else looks very identical.

This lack of variety will probably result in a lot of casualties, if the Fomors learn how to counter the mercenaries. That is, 'if'. Still, they should at least change their fighting style by a bit.

Before I even realize, we have already reached the entrance to the tower. The wooden gates stand tall and sturdy before the group of mercs.

The captain aggressively kicks open the doors and cautiously step inside, with the rest of us following closely behind.

Wow, quite the flashy entrance. And quite unnecessary.

The captain surveys the environment immediately. He then holds out his arm to signal stop to the others.

Aodhan: "Wait! Don't move!"

Captain Aodhan then suddenly stops in place, bends down and picks up a skull-like ornament from the cold stone floor. It had a strange symbol on the forehead of the skull. It probably belonged to a gnoll because of the thin width.

"A Fomorian emblem... What's this doing here?"

Suddenly, the girl screams and the sound of arrows fly through the air.

"Aaaarrrrrrrgghhg!"

The first casualty was the captain. Then followed the squad leader.

"AMBUSH!"

"PREPARE FOR BATTLE!"

Several Fomors appear from the other side and fired arrows at us. From the looks of their figure, the Fomors appear to be gnolls, covered with brown fur and very animal-like walking. Everyone has fallen except for me, the oracle, and the slender merc from earlier.

Since I was in the back line as we came in, all of the arrows struck the mercs in front. With us three left standing, I unsheathe my swords to prepare the onslaught.

Marrec: "R-rookies...pr-protect the oracle..."

With one last breath before falling unconscious, the squad leader gives us the final order.

Leaving us no time to ponder, the gnoll archers fire their arrows upon us 3 once again. The slender merc shields himself perfectly with his wooden buckler.

One arrow whizzes past my head as I get distracted to the merc performing a perfect guard. He seems quite experienced.

I shift my weight to my right side and my right foot in front in order to make my battle stance. I take a deep breath in...and I exhale slowly. My mind is clear now. I then direct my attention to the dozens of arrows flying at us.

The arrows are slow... I tilt my head to the left side to easily dodge the first arrow aimed at me. I lean forward to dodge the second arrow aimed at my face. I then take my first step forward toward the mobs. Unable to keep track of the next sequence of arrows, I duck my head and dash forward past the arrows. Every single arrow shot whizzed past me.

These Fomors are incomparable to the ones I've faced in my village. They're just too weak.

"Kyaaah!"

Just after I ridicule them, the girl screams in terror as the next wave of arrows come flying towards her.  
>The slender merc is still too busy with guarding himself. I guess it's up to me then.<p>

The arrows fired upon her are a lot faster than the ones aimed at me. Their speed certainly caught me off guard.

Whoosh. Whoosh. The arrows fly at an incredible speed.

Too late to reach her in time, I sprint towards the first arrow of the wave. I slash it vertically just before it reaches the girl.

Sigh... Close call.

Immediately turning my attention to the rest of the wave, I notify the oracle to step back. I then proceed to cut up every arrow coming our way. I can't afford to make mistakes now, especially not to these pitiful arrow shots. Even though the arrows flew faster than before, they're still quite slow...compared to those goblin spear-throwers...

"Th-thank you..."

With no time to rest, I dash towards the archers on the other side. The weakness of archers is their reload time. Once they fire, they are vulnerable to all kinds of attack. That's when I go in, fast and instant.

I reach the Fomorian archers without any trouble at all. Astonished by my speed, they struggle to reload their bow and to fire again...but it's too late. I stomp forward with my left foot and with both of my swords, I swing them outward, creating a horizontal slash that shapes a fan. It perfectly executes all Fomors in its range. I then readjust my grasp and lunge to my right to cut down the ones outside the range of my fanning slash.

The Fomor archers growl in pain as they fall literally within seconds of each other. I stare coldly at my fallen enemies. Their fur looks very warm and comfortable. They can probably be made into armor or coats. Not the ones in front though, they're too blood-stained. More blood continues to trickle down to the stone floor as I am lost in thought.

"B-behind you!"

While focusing on the gnoll fur, the girl yells for the ambush with my back turned. I turn around but it's too late. A taller and muscular version of the gnolls has already swung its spiked gnoll club. There is absolutely no way to dodge this. This is gonna hurt. I attempt to block it with my hands after I drop both swords to try and pick up speed.

Just inches before the spiked club reach my head, the melee gnoll gets knocked sideways. The other merc shield bashed it so hard that it knocked the gnoll unconscious.

"...Thanks."

I quietly mumble out my thanks after the close call. He nods back in response. I'm indebted to him now.

Leaving an enemy alive is dangerous, so I picked up my swords and stabbed the throat of the unconscious gnoll. It makes a disgusting gargle sound before it completely stops moving.

"I'll repay the favor someday."

He looks at me for a while. Then he silently walks toward the wooden staircase leading to the upper floor. I can't understand his way of thinking. Doesn't a response such as 'I'll be counting on you then' or 'don't mention it' usually follow? Now isn't the time to think about that. Analyzing personality and actions can come later.

The three of us proceed successfully onto the second floor while I get bombarded with questions of concern from the girl.

"Are you alright? You didn't get hurt, did you?"

The other merc stayed silent along the way. To each his own.

Who the fuck designed this crappy tower anyways? The staircase to the next floor is ON THE OTHER FUCKING SIDE! It's like the bell tower is made to prevent invasion or something! And it's built so damn high too! From the height alone, I bet there are at least 4 floors for us to go through until we reach the bell. Why would you something so inconvenient to have access to? What if something happens and the bell needs to be rang? Are the runners suppose to run across each floor to get to the next? And by the time they reach the bell, I bet half the town is already destroyed or something.

I'm not even surprised that the second floor also have a bunch of Fomors just waiting there for us to come up, attempting to set an ambush.

I jump into the mob, slitting throats as I walk past each one. The archers aren't even trying. By the time they are ready to aim, they're already dead. With a bunch of dead bodies lying around me, I look over to the rest of the us. The merc is busy fending off other Fomor attackers while trying to keep the girl safe at the same time.

Why did we even come up here? Why not just shoot the damn spider to get it over with. Isn't the girl scared? There is death everywhere. With me alone, I have already downed quite a number of gnolls.

No... I'm wrong. She is scared. I see her shaking behind the merc's back. I should go help out.

I dash towards my companions and suddenly I had to jump to the side as a gnoll came flying backwards towards my direction.

The merc stabilizes himself after an extraordinary kick which blasted all the gnolls in front of him. Then he beautifully cuts down the rest in one fluid motion; a diagonal swing from the top right connected with a horizontal slash followed by another diagonal slash towards the top left, then he executed the rest with an all-around horizontal slash.

Although his attacks are slow compared to mine, but his steady movements allows time and room for correction or to change his attack pattern.

With the room cleared of Fomor gnolls, we move on once again across the floor to the staircase leading to the next floor.

I can't help but to wonder just what exactly makes it worth for this girl in white to come up this tower filled with ambushers and meet with an out of control giant spider. First of all, why does this town even have a giant spider? Second of all, giant spider? Maybe a human sized spider is okay but a giant spider? I mean this monster is like huge. It takes up about half a room in the tower we're in. I don't know about them town folks, but that's pretty dangerous.

The third floor had less Fomors than the previous two. I think they learned from the other floors' mistakes because as soon as we popped up from the staircase, every single one of them jumped at us. Thankfully, the merc went first, so his shield blocked everything. I'm surprised at the amount of damage that thing can take. A usual wooden buckler would be broken in pieces already, yet his is still intact, except of a few arrows stuck on it...which played a favor in our defense. The gnolls who smashed their weapons down at the merc had not expected the back of the arrows to stab them, so they died. The rest got their faces cut and slashed while they growled in pain. I walked up and ended their misery...slowly... I let them feel the sharpness of my blades' tip on their throat before I pushed them in. The others looked in fear and awaited their death, one by one. I made sure the last one had lost all hope of surviving before I ended it. It...truly felt exhilarating. Ahahaha...

The girl was too scared to know what was happening and the other merc just plain didn't give a damn. I wonder what the girl will do once we do reach the spider.

The other side did not have a staircase, but an exit. It lead to the outside. As we moved towards the exit, the ceiling suddenly collapsed right on top of us.

"Kyaaaah!"

First thought in mind was to protect the oracle. I toss away my swords to the side to lessen weight and increase mobility. The debris fell down hard as I tackled the girl to safety while turning myself back towards the floor to make sure that she lands on me once we impacted the ground.

"Fuck."

As soon as we landed, pain and fatigue both hit me at once.

"Argh..."

Long and extensive battles are...really exhausting...

Smoke and dust still circulate the air even after the collapse.

*Cough cough*

I look around the aftermath and I see the merc standing perfectly fine just a bit far away from us two.

Now the only worry is the oracle.

"Hey, are you alright?"

The girl did not respond as I sit her and myself up from the floor.

"Hey, hey! Oracle!"

It seems that she fell unconscious. The merc walks over to us to see what's going on.

"She's unconscious."

"..."  
>He says nothing.<p>

"Looks like one of us is going to have to carry her. You wanna do it or do you want me to?"

He just...stares at me. I'm starting to feel uncomfortable.

"...Err, I guess I'll do it...?"

The merc nods and proceeds to the exit area. There will be less killing for me as the silent one will have to protect both of us now from any harm. I pick up my scattered swords and clasp them on my waist. They are now stained with blood and dust. These will need to be properly cleaned these once this is over. The sharpness hasn't dulled much because they have only been in contact with flesh, and I haven't stabbed these too deep into Fomor bone to dent them yet. But the dullness from the battle in my hometown still played a huge part in decreasing my performance. I feel that I can make cleaner cuts and slices with sharper blades.

I lift up the girl into my arms in a princess carrying style and followed after the guy.

A cold wind blew at us as soon as I reached the open space exit. The only path to take is the wooden planks set on the unfinished construction field. It doesn't feel stable as I walk across the platform hoping to the goddess that they won't suddenly crumble for me and the girl to fall through. I see the merc bashing a couple of melee and archer gnolls off the path. Their screams of terror grow distant as they fall deeper down towards ground. I shudder at the thought of the same result happening to me.

Somehow we managed to get across safely. No other Fomors appeared during our dangerous plank walk.

Once we have reached the other side, we felt the floor shake a bit. There are stone steps leading to the upper level. I can only deduce that the giant spider is somewhere up there.

"Gweeeeeeeeeeh!"

The loud screech of the giant spider puts us on alert. To my surprise, the screech have woken up the sleeping beauty in my arms.

"Wen-Wenshardt?"

The girl speaks some unknown word as soon as she opens her eyes. Seeing her awake, I carefully let her down. She has stopped shaking. Is she not in fear anymore after hearing the spider? What a strange girl.

"Oh... Thank you very much."

I nod at her appreciation and signal for us to move on to the next level. With adrenaline pumping in my system again, I carefully lead the two while clutching my swords for any sudden ambushes lying in wait.

The first thing come into view is THE GIANT SPIDER. It waited at the top and seemed to have calmed down now because obviously the girl thought it was still harmless so she simply ran up to it, hugged one of its furry claws, leaned in and started talking to it. I can't believe she's so trusting. And I can't believe the spider hasn't devoured her yet.

Since it seemed safe for her to far, I watched from a close distance. The same goes for the other merc as well. Once danger arises, I'll be the first to pull her out of the fray while the merc will defend against any surprise attacks. That seems to be the plan his beautiful grey eyes have told me, or at least how I understood it. Heh, he's taking advantage of my speed already. What a tactful guy.

"It's alright now."

The giant spider breathes heavily, struggling to maintain control.

"It's alright."

"Gwwwwhhhh."

"Shhh."

"Gwwhh."

"You'll be fine. Why did you attack?"

"Tell me. Why were you so scared?"

"Who did what?"

"Gwhhh."

"Who?"

The weird emblem same as the skull reappears on the spider's head and it resumes attacking.

I had a feeling that it was going to happen.

"GWEEEEE!"

The claw that the girl was holding on suddenly jerks upwards, causing the girl to fumble to the ground.

"Kyaaah!"

With a menacing screech, the claw come crashing down at the girl. It struck nothing. I had already taken her to safety as soon as the spider became fully aggressive again.

Unsatisfied, the spider prepared to lunge at us. It pulled all of it's limbs back and made a jumping motion. Since its movements were very obvious, we managed to avoid it rather successfully. I placed the girl down on the stone steps and told her to be safe.

"Let us handle it."

Her pretty face made a worried expression.

"Please be careful..."

I turn away from her and returned to the battlefield. The spider screeches once again. Giant spider vs two mercenaries. This seems fair.

Shivers run down my spine. After seeing it up close and personal, its size is just too large for us to be able to do any substantial damage. We'll get pummeled before we can even hit it!

The first move was made by the other merc. He sprinted toward the monster tried to do a round-house kick. The spider jumped backwards and prepared to lunge once again. His foot still hasn't touched the ground yet and he was completely vulnerable for the lunge, unless I do something.

I dash towards the spider's left(my right) and executed my first strike, Rising Crescent, which was readjusted for a dual wielder. I swung my right sword in a diagonal direction towards my top right, my left followed consecutively to stop the lunge of the spider. The swords dug into two left legs of the spider. The wounds weren't deep enough to cause any major damage but enough to hurt it to stop its attack. Damn, if only my blades were sharp enough to cut deeper in... The spider screech in pain and twisted itself at me at an incredible speed.

With no time nor the thought of dodging, I take the hit head on.

"Guuaaahhh!"

It's frontal left claw smashed me right in the chest. I get knocked to the side. Thankfully, it was a desperate defense maneuver, none of my bones were broken...yet. Pain remained in my upper body. My chest is now bare open after it had cut up my merc uniform. No more carelessness from now on.

While the spider turned its attention on towards me, the merc took this opportunity to successfully land a complete combo on the spider's right side. However, the carapace is just too hard to break through. The spider turns towards the merc, turning its back against me.

This is pretty stupid. If this keeps up , we'll wear it down before we're down. While it's focusing on one of us, the other one can attack. We can just win like that.

Plans don't go as well as you expect in reality though. I thought its back would be defenseless but...it jumped backwards at me and knocked me down underneath it. Pain overwhelms me as I try to attack it while being pinned under it. Its weight pushes down on me. I can't move.

"Argh!"

I groan as I struggle to get away, but it's pointless.

Suddenly, the spider jumped away and I somehow managed to get back on my feet, yet struggling hard to even stand.

*CRASH*

The sound of wood breaking as soon as the spider landed pierces through the air. The spider has smashed through the merc's shield, completely shattered his defense, and knocked the guy backwards 7 meters. That was a full force attack with all of its weight! Taking a direct hit like that... What was he thinking?! Can he even be alive?

Unrelenting, the spider went after the immobile merc. Damn... I owe him one, this is the time to repay the favor.

I clutch my sword, hard, then turning it around to throw it at the spider in a spear-like motion. The sword stabs the spider in its back shell.

"Screeeeech!"

The spider stops moving...and...slowly...it turns itself around towards me. Cold sweat trickles down my back. Haha...fuck.

"Oracle, please drag him to safety!"

Still putting the safety of the merc before me, I shout out to the girl to take him somewhere safe.

"H-him?"

The girl looks at me worried and confused. Wait. Confused?

"The merc! One that's lying down on the ground!"

"O-Ok!"

"GWEEEEEEEEEEH!"

The spider screeches yet again. Shit. Shit shit shit. I stand here before the giant monster. It...it knows. It knows that I can't take it down alone. And it knows that I have nowhere to run. Fuck.

Fear has now driven into my body. I...I can't move... My legs won't do what I want. I stand here alone, before the monstrosity. I'm tired and injured. I don't have any chance of winning... Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!

And it...just stares at me. Its creepy eyes glare at me. It knows... It knows! The feeling of despair that you have just moments before your death.

Fear...! My body won't respond because I'm too scared to do anything! There is no hope! Dammit... Am I just going to die like this? Am I just going to die in a place of nowhere?

The spider slowly crawls towards me. It knows that it can kill me any time now. I can only stand here waiting for my death.

Sure, I will die in battle... But...I haven't done enough worthy of my village's massacre...yet...yet... Yet. Yet. Yet! Yet! Yet! YET! YET! YET!

Who says I will die here and now? Who says I can't defeat this spider in front of me?! So what if I'm tired and injured?! All I need to do, is to make less movements and take no more damage! Fear? Ha! Haha! Hahaha! Yes. I am tired. And I am in pain. But fear? I'm not scared! Hahaha! Scared? Fear?

I grimace. I make the biggest grin I can ever make. I clench my teeth while I continue to smile. No. I'm not going to die here. As long as a sword is in my possession. I will fight to my last breath. I will not fall. I will not break. I...will...make a difference!

My blood is boiling. My pain is subsiding. My fatigue is disappearing. And me? I'm ascending.

"CHYYAAAAAH!"

I charge. With my sword. My brother's sword. I slip underneath the spider before it has any time to react. And...I start cutting. Firstly is its underside, completely vulnerable. I thrust my sword deep into its carapace with both hands. My strength is hard enough to penetrate its tough exoskeleton, and I continue forth to widen the wound.

"HHHNNNNGGGHGG"

I slice it open and cut a few of its limps. My brother's sword now has large dents that can be commonly found on the blade.

"GWWEEEEEEEEHHH!"

The spider screech in pain from my deep wounds. But I continue. I get out from underneath to face the spider's back. As it turns around in a furious manner, I slice one of its eye with a single Rising Crescent, which was just what I was waiting for.

Enraged, the spider lunges at me with great speed. But I dodge that quickly. A simple dash to the side was just enough to avoid its charge.

The spider crashes into one of the wall. The force of impact causes debris to fall and further damage the injured spider.

Out of nowhere, sounds of ballistae firing reach my ear. Wait. What the fuck. Why did they fire? Don't they realize that we're up here?

The spider breaks free from the collisions and charges at me once again. We have the spider AND the ballistae coming towards me now...

The spider lunges, I dodge to the side.

"Hah... Hah... Haaaah..."

My stamina is taking a turn for the worst... I can't keep this up. I can maybe dodge another 2 or 3 attacks and that will be the end of me...

The spider twists to execute a side attack, I step backwards, but not fast enough. It's claw grazed me on my chest. Fresh blood seeps out of the wound. It...hurts...a lot!

The spider swings its right claw down at me. I don't move. Rather, I can't move anymore.

Right on cue with pinpoint accuracy, one ballista arrow pierces the claw and pins it to the floor.

"GWEEEEEH"

A second and a third ballista shot come crashing down near us, and soon, many more to follow. Since I'm not a very big target, none of the shots landed on me. The spider on the other hand... The ballistae shots pin the spider to the ground, and it struggles to escape.

"GWEEEEEH!"

The spider rips its claw out from being pinned and it climbs to the very top of the bell tower, which collapses due to crumbling construction as it climbs higher and higher to dodge the ballistae shots. It falls, landing near me, and the giant bell falls on top of it, crushing it completely.

Ha! Ahahahahahaha! Wonderful. What a satisfying death for a wretched Fomor.

"GWWWWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHH!"

As it dies, the girl runs up to it.

"Noooo! Please... Are you hurt? Hang on I'll get you out."

The girl attempts to push the bell off of the spider. What a useless attempt.

"Please... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..."

The girl cries. The spider stops moving. The silence given by the spider marks its death. Whoever shot that ballista, thank you...

I feel an ominous glare in the woods from afar. I look in the direction and see a shadow fading away in the depth of the trees. Who was that? Was I just seeing things? Heh, probably my imagination. After all, I can't even think any more.

Here I am, standing before the aftermath of the bell tower skirmish. My hands tremble. My legs tremble. My body shakes. I can't maintain a steady stand. I fall on my ass. My arms can't even support me. I lie on the cold stone floor. Everything hits me all at once. Pain, fatigue, soreness, dizziness, nausea, strains.

"Haaaah... It's...over... Finally over…"

Nah... This is only the beginning.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 – Rest

* * *

><p>Ouch. Pain fills my body. I open my eyes. Sunlight shines in though the open window. Where am I? My swords lay scattered on a chair next to the wall. They are stained red, very worn and dented. They don't seem to be usable unless repair is made.<p>

Oh... I'm in my room. My arms are bandaged up. My upper body is also wrapped up. I try to move my arms...

"Hrrrrnnggh..."

No good. They won't respond. It hurts to even attempt moving...

"You're awake!"

I turn my head to the direction of the voice. I see a girl sitting down beside the bed. It's the oracle.

"Yesterday, at the bell tower..."

The girl looks away, her eyes full of tear.

"I... I didn't have the chance to thank you. It's because of you I'm even alive. And yet, I wish..."

She shakes her head gently.

"Never mind that. Please, what is your name?"

"...L-Le...th..."

I somehow managed to get half the word out of my mouth. The girl takes my hand and looks earnestly into my eyes.

"Leth. Thank you. For yesterday."

She then let my hand drop and made a sigh.

"I only wish I could've save him too..."

I ask who she means, and she looked startled.

"Why, the spider, of course. Who else?"

She walks toward the window and looks out.

"He didn't mean to, you know. He's not usually like that. But he was scared. There's an evil taking hold of the land. I... I don't quite understand it. Yet I feel as if I should."

Her voice sounds pained. Then she turns from the window, her honey blonde hair flutter from the gentle breeze.

"Oh. I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Tieve, the town oracle. I will be taking care of you until you're better.  
>I have duties to perform right now. The townspeople must be rattled from yesterday. I must attend to them. I'll be back later."<p>

She starts to gather her stuff together, but turns back to me.

Tieve: "I'm really grateful for your actions. If there's anything that you need, or anything that I can do, please, don't hesitate to ask me. I'll do everything I can to help you out. You are my savior."

Overwhelmed by fatigue as well as unable to reply, I drift to sleep once again before the oracle has even left the room.

* * *

><p>"Lethita."<p>

Hmm? Who's calling me?

"Lethita!"

Let me sleeeeeep...

"Lethita!"

Sigh... I'm so tired right now...

"Open your eyes you fool!"

An indistinguishable voice shakes me awake. It sounds familiar. No...familiar isn't the word. Nostalgia.

"Lethita!"

It's a dream, isn't it?

"Lethita!"

Yeah it is. There's no other reason why he is here at the moment.

I open my eyes. I see my brother. I see the bell tower. I am currently standing on the bell tower. The same place where I fought the spider... But everything looks distorted and shaky. Well, of course it is...

My brother can't be alive. Ah... It seems like I still hadn't gotten over his death...

A loud screech pierces my ears.

"Gah...!"

My body is shaking. I can't stand up properly. The spider. It has appeared on top of the bell tower.

"Prepare yourself."

"Eh?"

I look at my brother. No. The image of my brother who is before me. The transparent figure speaks to me.

"That was pathetic."

What was pathetic? What's he talking about?

"Until you can conquer this spider you have encountered already, I will not let you rest."

"Huh?"

With a snap of his fingers, the spider immediately jumps off the highest point and dives towards me.

"SHIT!"

I scramble to get away, dragging my weary body with me. It was difficult, but I somehow got away.

CRASH.

The spider landed on the ground, cracking the floor underneath it.

"Until you can completely dominate this, I will not let you rest, not even in your sleep."

"...What is going on...? Why is... -!"

I didn't even get to finish my thought before the spider lunged at an incredible speed. No... I couldn't move! My body doesn't respond properly in dream! I see it diving towards me, yet I just...stood there...unable to defend... I have never felt so helpless.

"UWAAAAAAH!"

Being crushed like an ant was the last thing I remember before waking up in cold sweat. My death felt real... My death felt real even though it was a dream...!

"Haa... Haa..."

I breathe heavily. It's still day time. Though the sun is setting.

What did he mean when he told me to conquer the spider? Does he want me to kill it by myself? No... I can't. I can't do it!

"..."

No... I'm such...a coward... Why do I say no? This isn't right. Fear. I'm in fear once again. How can I possibly avenge my brethren if I'm constantly in fear for my life...?

I clench my teeth. How...? How can I become stronger...?

"..."

I close my eyes. I think back to the fight against the spider. What exactly happened near the end? I was scared...and tired...and injured...  
>Yet I managed to come out alive...<p>

What miracle saved me? Was it even a miracle? Yes. The ballista saved me. The arrow at possibly the last moment of my life saved me from death. But...what happened before that?

Argh! Dammit! I can't remember! I blanked out, didn't I? Am I just over thinking it?

"... Tch..."

* * *

><p>In another room, Tieve was bandaging up an injured girl resting on the bed.<p>

Tieve: "Haa... I can't believe you would try to defend against His attack with just a wooden buckler."

"..."

Tieve: "Oh come on Fiona. At least say something! I was so worried!"

Fiona: "...Sorry for making you worry... Sorry for being weak... If I was stronger, I would have handled the attack..."

Tieve sighs again and continues wrapping her broken arm in bandages.

Tieve: "What were you thinking? That was so dangerous. If Leth didn't... Never mind..."

At the sound of Tieve's discontinued thought, Fiona looked at her curiously.

Fiona: "Leth is the new merc on the day of the bell tower?"

Tieve nods in silence. Fiona continues.

Fiona: "After I fainted, he took it down all by himself?"

Tieve nods once again.

Tieve: "I don't know how he did it, but miraculously he came out of it alive. Especially in the last fee moments of the battle, he stood there while Wendshardt was about to kill him, yet somehow a stray ballista landed perfectly on its claw and pinned it to the ground. It was as if he knew that would be happen..."

* * *

><p>The oracle came by a bit later to spoon feed me because I can't move my arms. She sat down by my side until I finished all my food.<p>

It seems like now is the perfect time to ask her questions about my injury.

"Oracle."

Tieve: "Hmm? You can just call me Tieve."

"I... I can't. You are the town oracle. Calling you by your name would be disrespectful."

Tieve: "I give you my permission to use my name."

The girls says that with a smile.

"Or-Oracle..."

Tieve: "Tieve!"

She says that with a pout on her face.

Tieve: "No one calls me oracle anymore. Everyone was like you the first time meeting me. And I especially will not let my savior call me 'oracle' like I'm someone really special."

"...But being the oracle IS special."

Tieve: "Just call me Tieve!"

She slaps my bed as she raises her voice ever so slightly. I see... She's trying really hard to break down the social status between the two of us. No, not just us two, everyone else as well. She is just...too pure. How fitting for an oracle.

"Alright, Tieve."

Tieve smiles at my caving in.

"So...why am I all wrapped up in bandages? I'm sure I wasn't injured badly."

Tieve looks at me with an astonished face.

...Why is she looking at me with an astonished face...?

Tieve: "Uh... Don't you remember? Your chest had a couple of ribs broken and your arm muscles are strained by overusing them. Then... Wenshardt clawed your chest open..."

She looks down and lowers her voice as she got closer to the end of her sentence. She's still grieving over the death of her 'beloved spider.'

Wait. What. I was definitely not that injured. How can I be when I don't even realize it?

"...Wow... I certainly do not remember. Wait... How long will I be healed up?"

Tieve: "Well, normally it would take weeks or months but..."

"But...?"

Tieve: "We had the town magician heal you with magic. So you should be up and good to go in a few days. Take it easy though..."

What. Magician...? What.

"Magician?"

Tieve smiles at my wondering.

Tieve: "Yes. Brynn came to heal you while you were gravely wounded."

Brynn, I'm guessing he's the magician, huh...? What. Why didn't he come to help us mercs? I'm sure shooting the spider with magic would CERTAINLY BE EASIER THAN US GOING 2v1!

I shake my head is disbelief. Of course, I wouldn't dare to share my current thoughts with the oracle. But seriously though...unbelievable.

The image of the slender and silent merc getting crushed by the spider suddenly pops up in my memory.

"How's the other guy?"

Tieve stands up, stretches her slender arms, grabs the tray, and prepares to leave.

Tieve: "You'll see."

"Huh? So he's alive then?"

Tieve smiles at my curious face as she leaves the room.

Tieve: "You'll see!"

Then she closes the door.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 – Rejuvenation

* * *

><p>One giant spider standing on top of a bell tower.<p>

One human rising against the monstrosity.

One quick Rising Crescent slash to slice off a leg.

One desperate dash to the side.

One solid lunge through the misty air.

One sword aimed at the open eye.

One miss.

One crunch.

One death.

"Ah...FUCK!"

* * *

><p>A couple of days passed, and the nightmare haunted me whenever I fell asleep. Even in dream, I'm still restless. It looks like there is no escape unless I end it myself... I had always been forced to wake up as soon as I was crushed by the monster.<p>

Man vs giant spider eh? Heh. I have certainly been improving during each dream battle. I am now capable to move freely inside my dream, after waking up and falling asleep bunches of times. I am also lasting longer against the spider...at least that's how I feel. I'm still being crushed every time before virtually dying. The setback to this training is...the improper rest. Although I've only been in bed for the past few days, but I don't feel rested at all! I'm mentally exhausted every time I'm forced awake from my death in dream.

Tieve also came over the few days and spoon fed me while still refusing to answer any of my questions regarding the other merc.

Why won't she tell me what happened to that guy? The playful way she refused to answer has made me assume that the guy is definitely not dead.

Oh well. If it doesn't seem like he's dead, then everything is fine. I'm sure I will meet him again soon.

My wounds have healed tremendously over the duration. Pain have disappeared and only soreness remains. I am now able to get up, stretch, and move around... but... moving around in reality feels sluggish compared to my dreams. I've gotten too familiar with dream than reality. This is what happens when you stay in bed for a few days. Healing magic truly is convenient. I bet the other merc got healed the same way. Seriously though, that was stupid of him to take a large spider head on. I'm surprised that he's even alive.

Currently, the sun is shining bright in the clear blue sky. I should probably get out and move around. And to get something to eat. I can't keep relying on the oracle now can I?

I find a spare shirt of mine in the closet and I am already wearing pants. I toss my shirt on. The fabric covers up my bandaged upper body. It's a bit loose. Just how I like it.

I stretch first, interlocking my fingers and push my palms towards the ceiling.

"Hrrrrnnnngggghhh."

My body trembles in response. A flow of stinging pain rushes through.

"Haaa..."

I exhale after the exhaustive stretch. It looks like I will take some time to readjust to my own body. Although it does feel good to be up on my feet after being bound to a bed for the past few days.

I put on my leather boots before walking towards my door. The door creaks as I pull it open.

In front of me on the other side is a female in her with a cast around her left arm facing me with her door open as well. Her cotton white inners covered all of her curves nicely... Nice.

Wow. What a total bombshell. Her sandy blonde hair, the same as the oracle's, is tied up in a ponytail. She is just a bit shorter than me, at a five foot eleven. If I'm comparing this girl to the oracle, the oracle would be cute and friendly, while this girl in front of me is hot with an unapproachable aloofness atmosphere. Her white figure is truly something. She has milky white skin and her face is mature and sexy. And I can just get lost looking in her deep blue eyes...

"..."

"..."

And sh-she just gazes at me... Was I staring for too long? ...Shit, I probably was.

"Uh... Hi...?"

I tried to greet her in order to break that awkward silence.

But that failed. She continues to stare, not even bothering to reply.

Still feeling awkward, I close my door while maintaining eye contact and quietly walks down the hall to the pub below, scratching my messy dark grey hair along the way.

As I walk down, I can feel her eyes burning a hole at my back. And I am glad to escape that...situation.

Getting near to the stairs, I hear loud chattering noises down below. The bar is always crowded no matter where you go. It was a place where the soldiers and mercenaries could get a drink before going off to the next battle. They boast about having fought with no regret and to unfold tensions.

The pubs had become the most attended spots for those to release their experiences.

I descend down the stairs to the bar packed full with customers when suddenly someone calls out to me.

"Hey rookie! Over here!"

I turn my head to the direction where the gruff voice originated from and walk closer towards the round wooden table.

"Have a seat with us. It's an honor for us to have you company."

I take my seat beside him and among four others. They seem to be veteran mercenaries from the way they're dressed and geared; a dark cloak that conceals any weaponry may be hidden underneath but occasionally you can still catch a glimpse of the light iron armor under that cloak. You know, the standard setup for an experienced merc, allowing a lot more mobility than a soldier on the battlefield due to the sacrifice of armor and weight difference.

"Well if it isn't the rumored rookie of the bell tower. Your story has been spread across the town already. They say that you took down the town guardian single-handedly yourself and then pissed on it in triumph. Not any one of us can repeat what you have done. Everybody is impressed with your accomplishment."

"Oh. Uh... I think that story is very far stretched. That's not exactly what happened."

"Ernmass, send one ale my way! Drinks on me today, friend."

"Thanks but no thanks. I can't drink."

"What? You don't want to drink? Who the hell doesn't want to drink?!"

"Sorry, I'm underaged."

"You're what?"

"Underaged."

"Well how old are you then?"

"17."

"YOU'RE 17?"

"Yeah..."

"AND YOU WERE ABLE TO TAKE DOWN THAT MONSTER?"

I merely shrug in response.

"GUYS! DID YOU HEAR THAT?"

"WHAT DID HE SAY?"

"THE BOY'S 17!"

"THE BOY'S WHAT?"

"17!"

"YOU'RE KIDDIN'!"

"HEY GUYS! DID YOU HEAR THAT?"

"WHAT'S GOING ON?"

"17!"

"WHAT?"

"THE BOY'S 17!"

"WHAT BOY?"

"WHO'S 17?"

"17 IS BOY?"

"I WANT MORE DRINKS!"

"LOUD NOISES!"

Like a wild fire, the conversation has already spread across the bar by the time I realized what was happening. Now my age and name are on the tip of everyone's tongue. How embarrassing.

Unable to handle all that shouting, I quietly slip away back into my room, where it's actually peaceful. The other merc are quite a rowdy bunch. I can't blame them though. When you're fighting with your life on the line all the time, you have got to at least live your life to the fullest. What better way to do that than to drink with friends at the pub?

Once back in the peaceful serenity that is my room, I return to the desperately needed rest that I still required on my fatigued body. The trip downstairs have worn me out already. It looks like I'll need to keep relying on the oracle until I recover.

* * *

><p>The next few days were rather quiet. There has been nothing of interest. I still can't conquer the spider and I am always being forced awake from my deaths. My body has been gradually getting better. My strength has fully returned. I have never felt better. To think about it, I have not rested properly for the past weeks...ever since the destruction of my village.<p>

On the last day of my bed rest, Tieve hurriedly came in to bring me food. She explained that the mercenaries are beginning to move and she is needed for tasks around the village. Right before she leaves, she turned around.

Tieve: "I almost forgot! You're also wanted at the mercenary post. You can find Marrec at the mercenary outpost. He is... He is a sub-captain or assistant leader or veteran or-"

She looks overwhelmed as she tries to remember. I look at her humorously as I finish my meal.

Tieve: "In any case, he is a member of the Crimson Blade mercenaries. Please, go find him."

Right on cue, I hand her my plate of finished utensils.

"Thank you for the food. It was delicious as always."

I then grab my gears and turn to leave.

Tieve: "Leth... Whatever happens, stay safe. Please..."

"No worries, oracle."

With that said, I dash out of the inn and towards the Mercenary post.

Tieve: "IT'S TIEVE!"


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 - Mercenary Training Site

* * *

><p>The mercenary outpost, stationed near the northeastern edge of Colhen. As Colhen is a small village, I arrive at the outpost within mere seconds. It was a tall wooden building with a flag sticking out on one of higher floors. From the outside, I can already hear loud arguments inside. Something is definitely happening.<p>

I arrive to see a woman with shining armor facing off against a man in a helmet and veteran mercenary gear. The two seems to be arguing.

"This case falls under the jurisdiction of the Royal Army. We're taking command."

"Not happening. Colhen is under the protection of the Crimson Blade mercenaries."

"The Royal Army outranks a band of ragtag mercenaries. You will vacate the premises."

"You forget, we don't play by your rules. We protected the citizens of Colhen from that giant spider from a few days ago while the Royal Army is in Rocheste like spineless cowards. Colhen is OURS to protect.

The two are too busy to pay me any heed. Instead I approach a calm, red, long haired woman also in veteran mercenary gear watching from a distance.

"Hey, you're the merc who went up the Bell Tower. You're new, right?"

I nod. She then turns toward the two in the centre of attention.

"What a way to welcome you into the Blades..."

The helmet guy's fists have balled up to his sides. He looks like he's going to break out in fumes.

"You army dogs are all the same! You just don't listen!"

"Watch your tongue, mercenary. I have the command of the entire Rocheste garrison at my bidding."

The red haired woman sighs at the loud argument.

"What a mess. Let's go to the back of the room. It's quieter."

Without a sound, I follow her into a room at the end of the main hall.

"This is better. Those two were giving me a headache."

It looks like she is the only other person in the room. I'll try asking her then.

"What's going on?"

"Oh. Marrec's got a vendetta against the Royal army, and it doesn't help that Captain Aodhan was injured at the Bell Tower. Marrec, of course, blames the captain's injury on the Royal Army's negligence. What a mess."

She repeats herself and sighs.

"Anyways, I'm Ceara. I train Crimson Blade rookies."

Suddenly, another voice joins in the quiet room. He quickly opens and closes the back room door. He had a brown beret on and a uniform of some sort, making him look more like an apprentice than a fighter.

"Lethita! I heard you were phenomenal at the bell tower. Everyone's talking about it! Wish I could've been there..."

Ceara: "Oh, and that's Ellie. He's with the Royal Army."

"Hey! My name is Ellis, not Ellie. And I'm not just any old part of the Royal army, I come as a representative of the Royal Academy. I'm a cadet leader!"

Ceara: "Well, that makes you 'with' the Royal Army, doesn't it? And Ellie's a nickname, a term of endearment."

Ellis grimaces.

Ellis: "That's an awful nickname."

Ceara smiles coyly at Ellis, and then turns back to me.

Ceara: "Lethita, you may have saved the day a few days ago, but you're still a rookie. You need training. I think the Mercenary Training Site is the perfect place for you to start. We have assigned another mercenary to guide you through it. She's waiting outside near the docks to take you to your destination. It's right around the corner from here. Can't miss it. I think it'll be a familiar meeting."

With a smile, she sends me on my way. Seriously? She wants me to train after taking out a huge spider?

Ceara: "Good luck!"

Wow, she does.

Ellis: "Yes, good luck, Lethita! Chances are, I'll still be here when you get back."

Ceara: "I just hope those two will have resolved their differences by the time you're back from the training site."

Heeding my superior's order, I take my leave out of the mercenary outpost. As I walk out from the back room, the arguments ring loud in my ears.

Marrec: "No, absolutely not!"

Gwynn: "Well, that's not up to you, mercenary."

Gwynn and Marrec are too busy arguing to notice me.

There is another veteran mercenary in the room. He looks like he's been watching this whole situation as entertainment.

"Okay, their argument is starting to get old."

He yawns but continues to watch.

Ellis: "That mercenary is bold. He's managed to really piss Gwynn off. Isn't he scared of her?"

Ellis looks scared himself. Ceara sighs again.

Ceara: "They could argue for hours."

Not wanting to stay here any longer, I bid my fair wells.

Ceara: "Okay then. See you when you get back."

Outside the outpost, I take a right turn to the direction of the docks. It's actually more of 'A' dock. Considering Colhen is a small village, having 'A' dock is reasonable. From the 'docks', I follow the path alongside the shore.

In a short while, I come across a splitting path with a blonde mercenary in a brown veteran's cloak waiting beside the fork in the road. She stood there patiently waiting for someone, probably me. Her beautiful long hair fluttered naturally with the light breeze. Her slender figure in mercenary equipment reminded of the one at the bell tower. Speaking of which, I don't believe I have seen him ever since. Upon a closer inspection, she appears to be the injured girl I met at the inn across from my room. It seems that her arm has completely healed now. Magic really is amazing. Before I even opened my mouth, she has already initiated the conversation.

"...Lethita, I presume?"

"Yes, might you be the senior who will be guiding me through the training site?"

"...I am... I will be observing you as you tackle through the challenge..."

With a cool voice that confirms her experiences in battle, she gave me the details to what the training is about as we walked toward our destination, which is to the right of the road and not too far away from the town. From what I understood, in a few moments, we will arrive at the training site. It is mainly used as a gladiator arena for duels between mercenaries. Inside of it, there is a function reserved for new members to practice fighting against Fomor imitations. Through ancient magic conduction, the place is able to conjure up wood golems as a substitute for actual Fomors. Apparently magicians are hard to find now since they've all died out and even the most powerful ones cannot replicate this ancient style of magic. The wood golems will fade away when defeated and respawn every so often. In most scenarios, there will have no trouble in dealing with one. But the wood golems usually attack in packs and you will need to dodge their constant offense. So this training site is no joke. I will be pitted against many wood golems and within limited time. My ranking will depend on how many I defeat. I wonder how well will I do.

"I'm sorry. I don't believe that I got your name?  
>"...Fiona."<br>"Nice to meet you, Fiona."

With a look of disbelief, Fiona slowly shook her head side to side.

Fiona: "...Yeah... Nice to meet you too, Lethita..."

She was about to say something again but thought better of it and stayed quiet. Did I say something wrong? I shouldn't have. It was only a first meeting with her and I have said nothing rude so far. Wait, didn't Ceara say something about my guide would be someone familiar? I don't recognize her at all except for yesterday at the inn, but Ceara wouldn't have known that. Could it be that Ceara made a mistake?

Feeling uncomfortable with the brief silence, I tried to strike up the conversation again.

"So how long have you been here? Being a mercenary?"

Fiona stops to look at the clear blue sky for a moment before answering. Her eyes reflected of fierceness for a split second.

Fiona: "...I was the rookie before you came. I joined the Blades about two weeks before you... It's a custom for the previous rookie to train the next batch... But since there is only you this time... I get off easy."

"I see."

Not sure what else is there to talk about, we walked a bit until we reached the arena. The place is hidden behind a group of trees and rests near the edge of the forest. No sounds could be heard from the outside. Is it empty today?

Fiona: "...Are you ready...?"

Fiona asked as we walked through the wooden entrance.

"Yeah, I guess."

I mindlessly shrug as I unstrap my worn swords. We then proceeded to the centre of the arena, where the spotlight is. Surrounding me are rows and rows of empty spectator seats for their viewing pleasure. The dusty and rotted wood up in the stands tells me that there hasn't been any public event for quite a while. It seems like there are no one even taking care of it. Fiona glances my way a few times before finally opening her mouth.

Fiona: "...Are you really going to use those to fight?"

I look down at her objects of doubt. My pitiful swords are at their limits. Any more expectations from these will be their crumbling fate. I can't break them now, not these that hold the last memories of my past...

"No, I really can't... I will just be fighting barehanded..."

I smile bitterly at my lack of equipment. The Fomors took everything from me. Of course I would be missing many necessary items in my life.

Fiona picked up on my dilemma and disappeared for a few moments before returning with a pair of short swords. She then places them in my empty hands.

"...Th-this is... I-"

Fiona: "...These are the staple supply of short swords we give to new mercenaries as they join the Crimson Blades... However, all of the experienced ones have switched over to their own preferences swords... All of the leftovers have piled up in the back rooms of this arena and in the mercenary outpost..."

Believing that she has explained enough, Fiona immediately walks out of the centre and towards a lever situated besides the throne seat up in the stands.

"Thank you very much Fiona!"

Fiona: "No need for thanks. I'm starting the training. Get ready."

With that said, she pulled the wooden lever and turned an hourglass over. A loud click can be heard from underneath. The activation of the ancient magic has started. I'm not even sure of how the mechanism works but suddenly 2 wood golems holding wooden maces about my size appeared out of nowhere. The blue ethereal magic held together six pieces of wood of different sizes to create a Fomor imitation. Their first sight has already been target locked on me. The golems lightly treaded over with weapons, intending to take me out. I hold on right to these short swords. Obviously, the length is short. I might just use them as daggers. They're about half the size of the ones I've gotten used. Otherwise, they serve their purpose of being temporary replacements.

Not wanting the wood golems to have the initiation, I lunge at the closest one and drive my swords in its magic-circuited neck. I then kick the golem backwards before it can retaliate. To my surprise, the wood golem falls apart like a puppet string being cut. The wood pieces clatter noisily on the ground. In mere seconds, a dark flame consumes the fallen, not leaving any remains behind. The other wood golem quickly launched an overhead swing from the side while I was busy with the first. Following the momentum from my kick, I turn and slash my swords at the golem before it can hit me. The tips of the twin swords left two rough cuts in the middle wood piece. The impact of the blow was enough to knock it backwards. It then tried to get up but I stomped it back down. And with a fluid execution, I cut off its head also. The lifeless body is then suddenly consumed by the dark flame again. It seems that every wood golem will return by the dark flame.

Well now, that wasn't too bad. Before I can finish my thoughts, the next wave of mobs spawned in mid air. 5 of them descended with a thump. Just like the last batch, they turned their sights onto me and moved closer. I hadn't noticed it during the fight earlier but these imitations are quite slow. Slow enough that I eliminated the 5 easily. I was able to get up close without much difficulty. I would have rather stayed at a distance and engage them whenever there is an opportunity but these short swords don't allow the distance to widen. In order to use these 'daggers' properly, I need to stick to them as close as possible. This strategy will be dangerous most of the time yet it will yield the best results and damage.

* * *

><p>Fiona watched from the stands without a word. She narrowed her sapphire blue eyes as Lethita pummel through mob after mob. He has already defeated 5 waves of wood golems and is currently waiting for the next spawn.<p>

'Who is this rookie?' Fiona thought to herself. She had never seen such amazing agility from anyone. The amount of time he used hasn't even reached half the sand in the hourglass yet. It's even possible that he spent more time waiting than fighting.

The waves began to spawn more and more mobs. At the 6th wave, 10 wood golems landed softly. While Lethita engaged the 10, wave 7 spawned prematurely, with the total mob count numbering 18. As he cleared them one after another, the mobs did not stop spawning.

* * *

><p>Slowly, their numbers overwhelmed me. Without even realizing it, I was surrounded by a horde of golems. They have completed encircled around me and cut off any means of escape. I haven't taken any damage so far but can I break out of this injury free? Even though my wounds from the bell tower have only recently healed, any substantial damage may open them again.<p>

I quickly take a sweep of my surroundings. They outnumber me about 60 to 1. This feeling is so familiar yet I just can't quite put my finger on. I can always give up right here and now. But... I know I won't ever forgive myself if I did that.

I take a deep breath.

"Haaaa..."

And I exhale.

Who am I to fear for mere imitations? Haven't I already done something more challenging than this? Back in my village, I had to fend off the whole attacking mob of Fomors. I won't fall here. Haha. Never will I fall here.

I unclip my helmet and toss it to the side. That piece of shit is useless to me. I value offense more than defense. Having that on only slows me down.

The moist and fresh air invites me to their destruction. Thus, I began slashing my way through the golems. I randomly pick a direction to charge and slam into the mobs. I swing the swords overhead for a smash and split them at the height of their heads. Immediately two golems dropped like flies. The rest of them follow up at my momentary rest. I then spin my swords horizontally, mimicking a tornado. The wide circular sweep killed 4 more. Not letting up my momentum, I ram myself into the group behind the fallen. The collision knocked all of us down to the ground. I dig my swords into the downed enemies as I climbed back up. The horde from behind jumped at my back. I took my chance to roll away to instantly get back on my feet and horizontally slashed at their torsos. The impact forced their flying bodies backwards. I then jump away from the mess.

After the aggressive engagement, there are only a few of the wood golems remain standing. I clean up the rest without any problems.

On the killing blow of the last golem, the arena trembles with a loud roar. The shake caused me to lose balance and fall flat on my ass. Out of nowhere, just like the rest of the golems, the boss mob spawned. The giant wood guard stretched it's wooden arms out from its summoning. It stands about thrice my size. Then it locks onto me, like every other golems, which confirms that this is the final challenge of this training site.

Why the fuck is it THAT big? First it's the fucking spider. Now it's a giant wood golem. What's next? Giant Fomors waiting for us to kill? They think size means everything? Fuck no the hell it ain't.

I rise from my temporary seat and grasped the swords tightly. Without notice, the boss mob got on its fours and launched a frightening lunge at me.

"Eh-"

I could not even voice my surprise before it smashed me backwards into the ground. I coughed out a few droplets of blood. The fucker hit me right under the jaw. Lucky for me that I jumped backwards to lessen the damage a bit. I should probably play serious now.

"Heh."

I wipe away the blood with the bak of my hand and let out a laugh. Comparing this to the spider from a few days ago, this should be a piece of cake. The wood golem roared again and headed to me. I dash towards its right while dodging downward swing. This maneuver puts me in the perfect position for a rising crescent. I execute my move as the golem turned to face me. Unknown to me, as it turned, it slammed its mace into my ribs, knocking me on the ground again. Fuck, I gotta be careful next time. That was dumb of me to attack at that moment. Damn, how careless of me... Why can't i do better than that? Why am I...still so weak...?

I get back up to charge forward. The golem does the same. I feel a faint headache as we exchange blows. Our attacks pushed the both of us back. I grasp the side of my head due to the sudden migraine. The golem, on the other hand got on its fours with its head down. It seems to have taken critical damage. Did I do that? I don't remember much about what happened just now. We've only traded hits. Yet it appears to be almost dead... Better to worry about that later, I should quickly go end it before it gets back up. I jump into its back to decapitate its head.

* * *

><p>Fiona watched in awe of the inhuman moves from Lethita. Even though he took two big hits from the golem, he demonstrated outstanding skills in such close proximity. As they neared each other, Lethita rotated around his target to dodge the golem's two hit combo while aiming his short swords at its ethereal joints. When the golem managed to only get one hit in by sweeping its whole body to the side, Lethita had already dished out numerous hits at its joints and followed with a kick to back off. But he was unable to escape the desperate sweep from his enemy. The result of the fight is what she is seeing now; wood golem defeated. Fiona quickly glances at the hourglass to reconfirm his time. He has only used three quarter of time to fully complete the training. She suddenly felt a chill up her spine as she saw an unfamiliar satisfaction is his hollow eyes. Who is this rookie? His last series of moves did not seem to be his style. It was like...he was someone different...<p>

Or something different...

* * *

><p>"Is it over?"<p>

I pant as I asked Fiona about my training. After the fall of the giant golem, I waited a bit for any new appearances and the arena did not seem to be spawning any more.

Fiona: "...Yeah... Congratulations..."

Her cold yet unyielding voice made me realize that I didn't do anything worth mentioning. I guess I'm just like any other new mercenary completing the training site.

We walked back to the outpost in silence.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 - First Mission

* * *

><p>We arrived back at the outpost within the hour. Has the argument ended? As we step in, the loud voices still echo across the room. That certainly answered my question. Fiona pushed the door open gently. I quietly entered, following her closely behind. Ceara was the first one to notice. Seeing my battered and bruised body, her lips curved to a simple smile. Marrec and the Rocheste commander were still staring daggers into each others' eyes.<p>

Marrec: "...Just leave. We won the battle with no outside help. So, this is OUR matter to handle."

Gwynn: "This is beyond your capacity, mercenary."

Marrec: "I have nothing more to discuss with you. If you have nothing else to say, leave!"

He pointed his finger out the door, where I was standing. Feeling awkward, I moved inside towards Fiona. Gwynn didn't budge from her spot.

Gwynn: "We are going in circles, mercenary. Let me speak to your captain, face to face."

Marrec: "No can do. He's recovering from a serious injury. I'm sure he'd say the same thing. Or, he might just ignore you completely. He's got no more love for you than I do."

Gwynn: "Very well. I will return when your captain has recovered. Tell him that I was here to see him. Cadet Ellis, follow me."

She beckons Ellis to follow and left the outpost in a huff.

Ellis: "Yes, ma'am! B-bye, everyone!"

Ellis gives you a slight nod and then scrambles after Gwynn. After seeing the Rocheste commander leave, Marrec let out a scoff.

Marrec: "Hmph. Bluffing cowards, the lot of them."

Ceara: "Marrec..."

Ceara glances at you and then makes a gesture to Marrec.

Marrec: "Ow! Why are you poking me in the ribs?! Oh, Lethita! Welcome back! I'm Marrec. You remember me from couple of days ago, right? We owe you a great debt for saving Tieve- Er, for saving the oracle."

It seems like Marrec was used to calling the oracle by her name. I wonder how long have they known each other?

Marrec: "By the way, what really happened on the top of the tower? I tried to repair the equipment you had yesterday, but... It's completely wrecked, so I threw it out. I'm simply amazed that you managed to escape that place alive. Just use this for now."

He hands me a brown cloak and leather pants, both part of the veteran gears.

Marrec: "I'll give you the rest of them as soon as we get them. Just give me some time. We're still waiting for new shipments to arrive. Although this equipment isn't the best, it will get the job done for a while. And again, welcome to the Crimson Blades."

He then walks around the room, thinking deeply.

Marrec: "What should we do now? Since the captain is absent, I must make a decision for all of us..."

He looks at me and continues after making a swift choice.

Marrec: "We must investigate the Perilous Ruins. Lethita, do you know where that is?"

I was about to shake my head but Ceara unknowingly interrupts me.

Ceara: "But that makes no sense. The gnolls LEFT the Fomors!"

Why does it matter if the gnolls left the Fomors or not? Once a Fomor, always a Fomor. Wait, does that even apply here? It doesn't matter, I'll kill them anyways.

Marrec: "Exactly! When we talk of Fomors, we mean those monsters that are fighting a war against humans. And gnolls are no part of that."

Fomors only apply to the monsters that fight against humans? That statement left me speechless. ...No, my goal still hasn't changed.

Marrec: "Still, they attacked us this time... So, as the first official mission from the Crimson Blades, I want you to look into this matter, Lethita."

He then looks at Fiona at the side. She nods before he even says anything.

Marrec: "Fiona, I'm expecting you to accompany him. Go to the Perilous Ruins and investigate the gnolls. See what you can find out. You can do this, right, rookie? Good luck out there!"

Marrec dismissed and gave me the rest of the day to prepare. I am set to leave early tomorrow morning. He also suggested me to take a shower. Well, more like he "strongly recommended" that I do. I took a look at myself and realized that I haven't showered for weeks...not since the Fomors ruined my life. I sought out a shower at the inn and left the outpost.

* * *

><p>Fiona stayed behind in the outpost and reported Lethita's progress at the training site.<p>

Ceara: "So how many did he beat before getting smacked by the golems?"

She giggled as she looked at Marrec, keeping her laughter to a minimal. Struggling to keep a straight face, Marrec tried hard not to laugh as well.

Marrec: "Ceara! The training site is not a laughing matter. It gauges your abilities and summons the appropriate number of golems for enhancing your skills. The others didn't name it The Rookie Killer for no reason, you know?"

Ceara: "You're just saying that because you lost at the 10th one, which was below average!"

Ceara laughed even harder. Fiona could see embarrassment seeping through Marrec's helmet.

Marrec: "Hey! That was the first time! I can handle against many more now!"

Ceara: "Yeah. Like 5 more! Fiona took down over 30 on her first try. I'm sure she has reached over 50 by now. What was your excuse again?"

Marrec desperately tried to defend himself from the shaming, but to no avail. Finally catching her breath, Ceara composes herself.

Ceara: "Stop standing there and say something, Fiona! How'd the rookie do?"

Fiona: "...He beat it..."

Marrec: "...What?"

Fiona: "...He beat the training site... And with a quarter of the hourglass remaining..."

Marrec and Ceara's faces did a 180 degree turn and both fall silent upon hearing Fiona's words. They looked at each other and back at Fiona. Both of them know that Fiona isn't one to joke around, meaning that the rookie had actually triumphed the site. Fiona felt that they wanted more details. She continued on with her report.

Fiona: "...At first, the golems appeared normally like everyone else... He took them down in mere seconds... He was fast... Faster than anyone I've seen... But then... They kept increasing in numbers... To a point whereI was unable to count them... Still, he managed to beat them all down... Finally, a giant wood guard appeared... It took me by surprise as well... I don't know how he did it... But..."

Fiona trails off in silence. Marrec and Ceara can already guess what she wanted to say. Lethita beat the giant golem. There was no denying that the Crimson Blades received a very promising rookie. Fiona excused herself and left in the direction of the arena, vowing to become stronger.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 - Preparation

* * *

><p>Back at the inn, I ask the oracle where I can take a shower. She directs me to the bath stalls on the second floor, on the opposite side of my room.<p>

I enter through male entrance, of course. I'm the only one inside at the moment. In the steam heavy room, I pour a bucket of warm water over myself and pick up a rag to start scrubbing. Grime seems to be just rolling down my water soaked body. I definitely needed that shower, but that's enough about my body. After applying soap and everything, I finished up, geared up, and went out. The shower was hot and refreshing. Possibly one of the best I've ever had.

Outside the bath, I see Fiona's worn out body limping upstairs towards her room.

"Hey, are you okay?"

I call out to her and follow her to make sure she doesn't fall halfway. She turns a bit and trips on a step. Thankfully I am there to catch her in time. Her tired body slumps in my arms. She glances up at my face and shrugs me off.

Fiona: "...Thanks... I'm...fine."

Her voice feels weak and frail, contrary to the cold and hard personality that she displays. She proceeds to walking to her room. But she stops after taking a few steps. She turns around once more to have another look at me. Her blue eyes carefully examine my face to every detail.

Fiona: "...Lethita...?

"Yes? What is it?"

She shakes her head in response. She seems confused about something.

Fiona: "...No... It's nothing..."

I guess she thought that it wasn't anything worth mentioning. Fiona slowly wobbles back to her room, probably for rest.

I head back downstairs for a good meal from Ernmass. I found him behind the counter serving drinks to a couple of seasoned veterans. They seem to be the ones that called me over from a few days ago when I was still recovering. They notice me standing beside the stairs and signal me to join them, just like the previous time. The first thing they do when I sit down is apologize.

"Sorry about last time. I wasn't quite sober when we got all rowdy. Anyways, I forgot to introduce ourselves. I'm Lucas. Seated behind me are Ivan, Rocko, Felix, and Zenni."

In turn, they each greet me in order. They have a more relaxed atmosphere this time around when they're not drunk.

Ivan: "Greetings, rookie."  
>Rocko: "Hey there."<br>Felix: "Sorry for last time."  
>Zenni: "Haha, things got a little out of control. Sorry about that."<p>

It seems like they are a friendly bunch, so I sit down and order food for my hungry self. I give them my self introduction as well.

Lucas: "So, we would like to hear about the bell tower in more detail. You are still the talk of the town. What you've done was extremely impressive. You have to tell us. How'd you manage to take something like that down?"

The others nod in agreement, their curiosity peaks through the top. They give excuses here and there about no confidence in their abilities to take down anything that big, which was why they were not present in the bell tower. Since I'm still waiting for my food to arrive, I guess I can kill some time by recalling events from the bell tower.

By the time I finished, the food has already arrived. Hoping the veterans would be satisfied, I pummel through my plate of food. Ernmass did a really good job of cooking. The veterans voice their disbelief at the ballista shot that grounded the spider but I can simply stand firm on to the truth. The stray shot saved me from death. That critical moment allowed me to live. I will never forget that. Wait... Now that I think about it...

"What happened to the other mercenary that went up with me? I never saw him again. He had a helmet on so I don't know what he looks like. I want to thank him for the help."

Puzzled, the group looks at each other before turning back at me.

Lucas: "Wasn't that the other rookie?"  
>Zenni: "Yeah. And if I remember properly, I think that mercenary was a girl. A strong one too."<br>Ivan: "Not sure what happened to her though. Probably still healing up? Everyone who went up were heavily injured."

"I see. The other rookie, huh?"

Is that not Fiona? That certainly sounds like Fiona. I wonder why she made no mentions of it. We chat for a bit longer before they eventually get up from their seats.

Lucas: "Anyways. Thanks for that, Lethita. We gotta go complete our rounds 'round town. I'll catch you later."

One by one, they bid their farewells. I get up to head over to my room. I think I'm going to call it a day here.

* * *

><p>I find myself on top of the bell tower again. But this time on a path made of wooden planks. The floor creaks loudly and unstably as I stand carefully in the middle. Falling down into the misty abyss is not what I want to happen. A giant golem crashes down to the wooden planks. It is the same one from the training site. Does that mean I'll have to fight this now? The golem crouches down, preparing to charge. Due to the narrow path, there is nowhere for me to dodge. I need to either take the hit and pray to not fall or find a way to get on top and over it. I weigh my options and decide to jump over the charging golem. Wait... Charging? Oh SHIT! My body gets bashed off the path and I fall down into the unknown abyss.<p>

* * *

><p>I wake up in sweat, not feeling rested. I sigh in defeat. Today is going to be wonderful.<p>

Tieve came in to drop off my meal as I finished changing into my gears: leather boots, leather pants, leather vest covered by a veteran cloak, and a pair of twin short swords. I left the helm behind. I find that I really don't like the feeling of having my vision obscured. Maybe I'll find something that works better in the future but for now, no helm. Tieve walks into the room in her usual grace. Upon seeing me, she almost drops the plate of food.

Tieve: "Leth? Is that you?"

Puzzled at her words, I reply honestly to her question. Of course I would be me.

"Yes. What's wrong?"

Looking flustered, Tieve quickly regains her composure.

Tieve: "Oh... It's nothing. You just look quite different."

Quite different huh?

"Better or worse?"

Tieve: "What are you trying to make me say?"

The oracle looks away, completely dodging the question. Her blushing face already gives away the answer I wanted. Well done on her part. I guess my shower made a big impact on my image. That's probably the reason why Fiona was staring at my face yesterday. After chatting for a bit, Tieve leaves to attend to her other duties.

I should stop wasting time around here. I need to go investigate the ruins. I quickly gulp down my food while staring at my two broken swords. I promise that I'll fix them up soon. Then I also leave my room.

I find Fiona about to knock on my door as soon as I open it. Her startled look immediately fades away which leaves room for doubt.

Fiona: "..."

"..."

Fiona: "..."

"..."

She had similar equipment on, leather pants and covered by a brown veteran cloak. Her sword and shield hung on the side of her waist. The sword seems to be the same one used in the bell tower. We just stare each other down again. Oh come on, not this again. This opportunity should be a good time to thank her. Unwilling to continue the stare down showdown, I open my mouth to break the uncomfortable silence that always happen to appear before us two. If only she wasn't so aloof, tons of guys would be going after her already.

Fiona: "...I got everything prepared. Let's go..."

Contrary to my expectation, she initiated instead while I stood there with my mouth half-open like a fool. She turns to leave, gesturing me to follow.

We arrive at the docks shortly after. We got on a boat with a bag of consumables inside. It held potions, whetstones, javelins, bombs, traps, and other sorts of extra equipments. Fiona explains that we're getting to Perilous Ruins through the river. The bag contains whatever we need in battle. I pick up a bottle of potion and examine the fluid. The red syrupy liquid swirls back and forth upon shaking. I unscrew the cork to get a good whiff but the smell hits me like a carriage. I immediate pop the cork back in before I puke.

"I'm not drinking that."

Fiona unravels the rope that held the boat to the dock and looks at me.

Fiona: "...That's not for drinking... You apply it on your wounds and they should help heal faster..."

Oh. That was dumb of me. I toss the potion back in with the rest. The bottle lands with a solid *thunk*. I grab a bomb that's about the size of a gnoll skull. Fiona noticed and glances over at the way I was handling it.

Fiona: "...Be careful with that... It might explode if you're careless..."

My eyes open wide as I chuck it into the bag and backed off to the other end of the boat.

Fiona: "...Just kidding... But you should really calm down... Everything will be fine...probably..."

She seems to have sensed my uneasiness. I can't help it. This was my first time on a boat so I'm unconsciously fidgeting around nervously.

I exhale slowly to calm my nervous self. Nothing will happen... Right? With that said, we row across the river efficiently to the other side where the ruins lie.

Upon landing on the shore, I plant my feet firmly on the soft ground. Traveling by sea is something I need to get used to. I puked a few times on the boat. Fiona watched me sympathetically.

We then walk a bit of distance past the shore and into the Perilous Ruins. No wonder it was called the ruins. All the cobblestone structures are about to crumble. They all seem breakable with the exception of the walls of the ruins. The pillars used to symbolize something. But now they are just simply meaningless structures. The walls still feel sturdy enough to withstand some impacts. It appears that the Perilous Ruins had been around for years but abandoned long ago. It would be no surprise that this place held some strategic location for humans and Fomors. This place makes a good camp for scouting. The enormity of this ruin deters enemies from seige. Fiona calls me over to reconfirm our objectives.

Fiona: "...We are here to scout the ruins for Fomorian activity...not to risk anything. Don't do anything reckless..."

I nod in response to her warning. Though it disappoints me that no fighting will be done unnecessarily, I agree that gathering information on Fomor movements would be taking priority. Thus, we enter the old Perilous Ruins.


End file.
